Just Hanging Out with my Crew
by Random Anonymous Writer
Summary: The lives of Kallistrate Malsky and her younger brother Raf shall be redefined when together they discover a new alien specie, the transformers that had been settling on Earth - and there's much more to discover and explore with their new friends. Rated T for some occasional swearings
1. Chapter 1

I stop the bike on the side of the road, right opposite to the driving take-outs of a fast food shop called KO burgers, and hang my helmet on the handle.

A car comes into the scene, right past the counter window, where a teenage waiter hands the driver two big packs of food. The driver, however, speeds off and leaves without paying the boy, leaving him a bout of shock and helplessness at the window. I can swear I hear him saying, "And I'll have to pay for that!"

I can almost see Vince, the best bully in my school and the biggest jerk in the world sitting in that car, leaving the waiter Jack Darby unpaid, a schoolmate whom I recognize to be a year younger than me.

But I can't see the driver clearly. I may as well as give Vince some warning hits the following day, but he hasn't been messing with my brother or me, and he hasn't made any business deals with me either. So I guess he can be spared.

I stride over to the shop and say, "Two deluxe cheese burgers, a can of beer."

"Um, miss, this is the car takeaway…"

"My bike's right over there and you're telling me you don't do business."

"No, I didn't mean…"

"Two cheese burgers, a can of beer. _Now._"

Half-astounded, he packs the burgers up when he says, "I don't think you're of age for beer, Kallistrate Malsky."

"Nevada allows teenagers buy beer for family consumption," I reply curtly.

Appearing to be in a dilemma of deciding should he do so, he finally goes to the fridge and shoves a can of beer onto the window-sill. "That's six in total," he sums up.

I shove a bank note from my pocket. "That's ten. No need for changes." I press it onto the window sill and grab my food, as I slap open the can and take a large gulp from it. His jaw drops open.

I return to my bike and speed off the road of Jasper, Nevada – and I don't quite care what Jack Darby wants to do with me next.

* * *

I leap off the bicycle as I arrive under a highway, where my younger brother, Raf Esquivel is busy playing a remote-controlled car.

"Six minutes, you've improved a lot." A light curve of smile appears on his face as I approach with our after school snack.

"This beauty still needs improvements." I nod towards the dark blue bike which I made from scratch as I sit beside him, and drink another big gulp of beer, which constantly relieves me of my stress and worries. I feel so much better.

We watch the model car whizzing and speeding around the place, and Raf seems pretty satisfied with this kind of entertainment.

All of a sudden his phone rings. He sighs and picks it up. "Hi, mama. Car racing, um, maybe five more minutes?"

I sigh. His control freak mother is probably forcing him to go home again. I suspect she comes from hell and is one of the furies in Greek Mythology.

"Give me the phone," I mouth, and he hesitates as he hands me the phone with his nightmare of a mother is screaming on the other side of the link.

"Yes, Mrs Esquivel," I say as I grab the phone.

"Kallistrate Malsky, I don't care what excuse you have this time, you bring…"

"We'll not break curfew, and Raf's not drinking, that's all," I finish and cut the link. Simple and fast, that will efficiently shut the woman up without trouble.

"Thanks, Kal," he says as I hand him back his phone, and he resumes with his racing game. "Seriously, I can't keep you with us long if you're so rude to mom."

"She's insufferable, what else can I say?" I reply.

All of a sudden we hear a roar of engine from above head. We look up, only to be astounded when we see a flashy blue sport motorcycle runs off the edge of the highway and lands onto the area in front of us, with a passenger whom I met just a while ago. Jack Darby.

"Wow," Raf says.

"Cool bike," I comment dryly.

"You have no idea," he says with a shaky voice, and gets off the bike. I reckon that landing hurted a damn lot.

We stand up and approach him. That's when I realize he doesn't have a helmet.

And that's when two new intruders join us. Two purple cars, flashing their headlights aggressively runs off the hedge, and to our surprise, they somehow – change forms and land before us as two gigantic robots with a gigantic red 'v' lighted on their faces, as if their eyes.

My legs go jelly-o. This does not normally happen.

No, I'm not scared of these robots. It's my old nightmare that is haunting me again, which started twelve years ago, when I was orphaned.

Transforming robots.

And what's worse, the motorcycle behind us also transforms into a towering form which resembles a woman, although I'm not really sure if these robots have sex. "This ends here, cons!" she says, loud and clear, and dashes towards the car-bots as we quickly make way for her.

They start shooting at her with red blasters transformed on their hands, but clearly they have bad aiming, while the female robot has proved to be a real bad-ass, for although she is much smaller in size, she beats them down easily within moves.

"What are they?" Raf asks with a shaky voice.

"Talking cars that turn into robots, or the other way round…?" Jack replies uncertainly. I shot him a look. _Duh, I knew that._

The robots continue fighting, and the girl gives one of them multiple jaw punches, while the other is struggling to get up on the ground. "This – is – for – Cliff!" she shouted as she strikes him with a hard one.

She pauses and he turns his head to his opponent. Then he turned his hand into a gun again and together with his partner, they shoot at the female. With shocking speed she does back handsprings and avoids most hits – until one shot hits her finally. She is blasted backwards and lands hard on the ground.

On the spur of the moment another vehicle runs off the hedge, and this time – a bright yellow muscle car with black racing stripes – also switches form mid-air and lands hard on one of the purple vehicle-man, while giving the other a hard punch in the face.

He takes a step backwards when we hear a _crack!_ He looks down and lifts his right leg, only to find Raf's mini remote car smashed.

Instead of speaking, he makes some kind of beeping and whooping sounds, but to my astonishment I can understand that as, _sorry, I hope that's not expensive…_

I guess Raf somehow translated that too. "No problem. Really!" he says, when one of the unbeatable purple car-bots regains consciousness and hit him hard in the face, blowing him onto the ground.

"Run. _Now! I'll cover you!_" I hiss at Raf's ear as I drop the can in my hand and dash for my bike, but he holds his ground.

The other presumably bad purple car-bot strides forward and stomps onto the back of the yellow robot's head. Then the yellow bot turns around as both purple ones turn their hand into guns we've seen earlier. I take a quick glance, and the blue girl robot is still recovering from the blast she received.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" Raf shouts at sight of the guns. The bots immediately turn their sight and guns to the little kid.

"Please?" he squeaks, clearly petrified.

"Bad call," Jack mutters, as one of the purple robots strides towards them.

With a swift move I detached one of the wheels from my bike, which are made of electro-magnetic plates, and throw the disc at the threatening-looking purple robot. It strikes him with an unpleasant _CLANK _as I scream, "RUN!"

They run for their lives and disappear round the street corner, and the bot in pursuit for them follow. I begin to panic for Raf's safety.

"Hey, you! Wanna eat this?" I shout at the one that is keeping the yellow robot in guard as I detached the second wheel. He look at me and on the spur of the moment I throw the wheel out like a discus – and it hit him right in the v-shaped eyes. He staggers backwards, buying enough time for the yellow robot to break free. He runs towards the corner where the boys disappeared into, and I follow him, as I'm still uncertain of his intentions. I do not trust these robots.

When I enter at the scene the purple robot is judo-flipped by the yellow robot hard onto the ground, with Raf and Jack watching in a drain.

I leap into the drain when the yellow robot bends down to check on us with gigantic blue optics. He beeps again, this time I translate as _you guys okay? They won't follow anymore._

"Thank you," Raf calls out, and the yellow robot beeps _you're welcome! _as he stands up. What followed by is only clashes and smashing sounds of metal.

"Don't look back!" Jack pushes Raf by the shoulder and ushers him to the other end of the drain.

"What did we just see?" Raf says.

"No idea, and I'm not sure if I want to find out," Jack says sternly. I scamper ahead of them and lead us out of the place.

The day passes by as we left the drain and go back to our respective homes, with me following Raf to his own.

Maybe I forgot to mention something. Raf's home is my foster family. If you speak of family, this little boy whom I consider to be a little brother is the only one I can trust and rely on.

I'm not particularly sure of what I just saw, but I'm pretty certain that those robots – they are the same kind of thing that triggers off my old unspoken fear. Something that is responsible for the loss of my family.


	2. Chapter 2

**There you go, folks! Thanks for the favorites and reviews!**

** A whole new chapter of the story, covering the second half of Darkness rising pt.1 and Darkness Rising pt.2. It's a long chapter... hope you can enjoy!**

* * *

I sigh as I pick up the half-damaged bicycle wheel I have made from scratch. I've put so much work and effort into making it, yet it was sacrificed with one hit to save our lives.

I find the other, which is also left at where it last landed after I've thrown it, and reattach them to the wheeless-bike which is also left under the highway. I take a quick glance around, hoping at least one robot I'd seen will show up. But none appears.

I sigh and throw the bike over my shoulder. Judging by its crooked wheels with punched edges, even a three-year-old can tell the bike can't be ridden.

I take the drain as the shortcut to return to school, where almost everyone has gone home except a few, including Raf, who's waiting for me at a side by the road.

"Did you find anything?" he asks as I cross the road and approach him. I shrug my loaded shoulder and say, "That's it."

I look over his shoulder and see two figures: Jack Darby, who is just walking down the school entrance stairs, while the girl who is sitting on the stairs drawing happens to be Miko Nakadai, the Japanese punk transfer in school, who is infamous for her long record of trouble-making.

Raf turns and sees them. He waves at Jack, and he darts to us. "Kallistrate…"

"It's Kal," I correct him. I don't really like people saying my whole name, because it happens to be only Raf's family and my worthless teachers say that.

"Okay, um, Kal, and Raf, is it? Maybe we'll pretend that nothing happened last night after school… no, _not again!_"

A familiar yellow muscle car comes by and stops on the road right behind me. It is the one we've seen just a day before. It opens the door and beeped, _get in, you two! Let's go for a ride!_

"It wants us to get in?" Jack asks uncertainly. That's when I notice he can't understand the beeps.

"No, just me and Kal," he replies.

"But – how can you tell?" Jack questions.

"It said so." Raf replies simply. "I think yours is over there."

He points to a flashy blue racing motorcycle parked right in front of the school entrance, which I recognized to be the female robot who got shot in the belly.

"A ride, huh? Then you'll have to take this." I let the bike on my shoulder slip down and grab hold of its top tube. Then the car trunk flings open automatically. I throw the dark blue bicycle into the trunk and slam it back down, while Raf takes a seat at the back row. I unzip my half-length black leather jacket and consume the other back seat, and the car slams the door shut itself and runs off the road without Jack Darby.

Every instinct within me goes to top alert mode immediately. Who knows what this car would do to us? Although Raf seems to be enjoying the ride himself, I decide if that any sign of trouble appears I'll break the window glass and get him out first.

In the end nothing happens, until we are driven into a normally-deserted path which I recognize. It's a dead end one-way road. What lies ahead is only a maze of rocky hills.

We speed past the 'stop' post by the road and head straight for a lone rocky hill that acts like a shield to the upcoming road. I take a quick peep at the back mirror and see another vehicle following. The blue flashy motorcycle with two passengers without helmets: Jack Darby and Miko Nakadai. I can't help but ask myself: _why is Nakadai following us?_

There's no way of escape now. The hill in our way is only yards away and we're going fast, and the car seems to have no intention of turning or stopping. "Duck, Raf. _Now!"_

I push Raf down on his knees and brace myself when we're at the face of running into the hill, hoping the least damage can be caused. Instead of a bumpy-crash I expected, we enter what appears to be a pit-black tunnel. Raf unbraces himself and look up as I do the same. There are artificial walls made of large pieces of metal boards covering the side of the cave entrance. The motorcycle behind is sticking to us close. The gate, or rather the cover of the cave closes up automatically just as we all entered.

"See? Nothing to worry about, you're just being agitated," Raf smiles as faint lamps appear on the walls, lighting the way.

"Maybe," I grumble, and twirl a fringe of hair behind my ear. Now we're through the cave. What next? We're shut within the place.

As soon as we enter the main chamber of this cave or anything you're pleased to call, I feel like I am about to faint as the familiar shrieking rings in my head, from an incident which is never told to anyone for any reason, not even Raf, for twelve years.

What triggers that single strand of memory are two enormous robots: one green, and of wide build strides over, and the other, a robot with white and orangey-red color scheme, who is standing in front of a green glassy monitor, what appears to be a vast computer screen. Both have blue glowing light bulbs as optics, like what the motorcycle and this muscle car have for eyes.

"Wow," Raf gasps in amazement. Much as I am impressed with the mechanics and physics involved with what makes the robots, I only get more tensed with so many machines around that I'm not familiar with, which is a rare case.

We get out of the car as the two riders of the motorcycle behind also get off. The trunk flings up and the car beeps _get that thing outta here or I'll smash it!_

I snatch out my nearly-destroyed bicycle and the two vehicles turn into their robot forms right on their feet.

Fantastic. Two more life-threatening robots hanging around, ready for fight as I recall, they are armed with deadly weapons.

"Four? I thought there were three," orange-and-white says in a half-surprised tone, and a tiny hint of annoyance I recognize, often heard from my teachers of the misbehavior they find on me.

'Haven't you heard? Humans multiply," the blue femme replies dryly and puts a hand on her hip.

"I'm Raf," Raf begins with introducing himself.

"I'm Miko!" Miko Nakadai chirps ecstatically and trots over to the green robot. "Who are you?"

"Bulkhead."

"Are you a car? I bet you're a truck, a MONSTER truck!" she starts up with questions as if firing an AK. "Do you like heavy metal? How much do you weigh? Ever used a wrecking ball for a punching bag?"

And I am deeply unimpressed with her immaturely warm approach to strange artificial intelligence we've never known.

"If you guys are robots… who made you?" Raf brings up the exact question I've longed to ask them. Clever little brother.

Instead what I get is most unexpected. "Pfft! Pluh-lease…" is the discontented reply of orange-and-white, who rolls his eyes and turns back to the controls he's been working on.

Heavy metal footsteps approach us. The four of us turn to see a towering robot mainly in red and blue coming forward, who seems to be easily taller than anyone in the place. Miko jogs back our way to get a closer look of the new intruder, as I kick the kickstand down to keep the bike in my hands in its place.

"We are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron, also known as Autobots," he says his entrance speech in a deep voice.

"Why are you here?" despite his obvious worries, Jack takes a step forward and asks.

"To protect your planet from the Decepticons," the big 'bot replies curtly.

"The jokers who tried to bump us off last night," the blue femme explains.

"Oh-kay… why are they here?" Jack asks further.

"A fair question, Jack. In part, they are here because our planet is uninhabitable, ravaged by centuries of civil war," he bends down and answers the question.

"Why were you fighting a war?" Raf asks with a quavering voice.

"For most, over control of our world supply of energon, the fuel and lifeblood of all Autobots and Decepticons alike," he says, and continues with his story. "The combat was fierce and endured for centuries. In the beginning, I fought alongside one whom I considered a brother. But in war, ideas can be corrupted, and it was thus that Megatron lost his way."

He tells it as if an old retired soldier recalling his memories of the wars he'd fought in long ago.

What a likely story for people to believe.

Miko views this in an entirely different angle. "Huh... is there gonna be a quiz?" she sighs as she twirls a bundle of hair tied loosely behind her back.

"So… what does Megatron, or any of this have to do with us?" Jack ignores her nonsense and continues his conversation with the robot.

"Megatron has not been seen or heard from in some time, but if his return is imminent, as I fear, it could be catastrophic."

"What a likely story, that's typical history," I have my first sentence in an almost drawling tone. "Aliens, huh? Proof?"

"Proof? What sort of proof do you still need, we're standing right here! Have you seen anything like us?" Bulkhead exclaims at my respond.

How I wish I could say I had. Twelve years ago. But it is my top secret that I cannot expose to anyone.

"I understand that this can be hard for you to accept," the towering robot stands back on his feet and says. "But please believe us, that we're telling the truth."

"Well then," I take a step forward beside Jack and fold my arms, staring into his optics. "Proof to me that you are trustworthy."

"Then you're lucky that we haven't blasted your head off, kiddo," the femme rubs her hand without casting a slightest look at anyone, even when I know she's referring to me.

She's got a point. They didn't kill us. The jokers we saw did try last night.

But that's not the whole story. How do I know if there's anything more before that incident? And how do I know, that if they are a bunch of robots under control of a certain organization developing artificial intelligence and technology, that they are just puppets to someone's control?

All I knew about them… is they do not have a soul. They might be able to think and interact, but I do not trust them.

Nevertheless, the other three are buying the story pretty much, and we are introduced to the orange-and-white Autobot medic Ratchet (which I doubt whether robots ever need a medic. Just bring them to their manufacturers and BAM, they're fixed), Bulkhead, the yellow muscle car Bumblebee, the blue femme Arcee and the leader of the 'bots, Optimus Prime.

"So, what's your name?" Bulkhead asks me. That's when I realize I'm the only one who haven't submitted my name.

"Call me Kal," I respond curtly.

"And since you know of our existence, I fear that as of last night, the Decepticons know of yours," Optimus continues.

"Got it, we spot any strange vehicles, we call 911," Jack replies. "Can we go now?" he adds, as if he wants to leave the place as soon as possible.

"Are you insane? I'm living a dream in 'bot swana, and I'll not let you or anyone to shatter it," Miko declares her stance angrily at Jack's

"It is best that you four remain at our watch, at least until we can determine our enemies' intention," Optimus resumes.

"Optimus, with all due respect, the human children are in as much danger here, as anywhere!" Ratchet cuts in, showing his disapproval of our existence in the place.

"Children?" Jack seems highly offended with the word. _Chill_, dude, I'm seventeen and you're just sixteen. I should be the first to complain in that case.

"They have no protective shell! If they go under foot they'll go… _squish_," he brings up the possibility, and stomps his gigantic feet to emphasize the point.

And I assume if that happens, it's either he's blind to see us or we're too slow.

"Then for the time being, Ratchet, we must watch where we step," Optimus persuades him to accept our existence in the place.

An alarm goes off just as he finishes his sentence, as green alerting lights flash in the room. "What's that?" Jack queries and shows his more-than-obvious nervousness, as Ratchet marches back to his computer controls.

_Proximity sensors, they're on the roof which tells us something's coming,_ Bee explains.

"Proximity sensors. Someone's on top," Raf translates for the other two whose manifest confusion is written on their faces.

"It's agent Fowler," Ratchet concludes who's the incomer, and shows a camera's live video transmitted to the screen which shows a military helicopter descending onto the hilltop.

"Special Agent Fowler is our designated liaison to the outside world," Optimus explains. "As he tends to visit only when there are… issues, it may be best if you do not meet him at this time."

We note that and goes for cover behind the stairs, which leads up to a platform conspicuously too small for the bots' use and more accurate for human use.

Anyways, the sound of an elevator descending from the ginormous cylindrical transmission tube that reaches from the rooftop to the middle of the platform is heard, and as we peep out as the elevator door on the platform opens up, revealing a paunchy black man in suit coming out of the elevator.

He comes out and complains about what happened last night – which exactly fitted into our case of how Jack, Raf and I first met the bots.

What can I say, I don't get a pretty good first impression from Fowler. He reminds me too well of my teachers when they tend to list out my misbehavior and wrongdoings. Here's an example of a few words of exchange between my discipline teacher and me which sounds almost the same.

"Two assignments late, three times of late to class and the fifth time I receive a complaint about you chewing gums on lessons with foul language to teachers, Kallistrate Malsky."

"Oh shit. Sorry."

"No foul language, Malsky. I believe I just said that. And spit that gum out of your mouth now."

"Onto your face, motherfucker?"

You can imagine what happens next, and I can tell you, the outcome wasn't sweet.

Anyways, Prime assures Fowler everything's under their control after Bulkhead breaks something with Ratchet fussing around about that. Fowler leaves through the elevator, warning that the bots should handle the situation under the radar, or he – the military will.

Sounds so bossy.

If there are two Decepticons – they say they're called that – we spotted last night, how many more of them could possibly be out there?

And, if these bots are all the only Autobots on Earth, my long-searched answer for the mysterious accident when I was small can only be hidden with the Decepticons… and I must get the answer at all costs.

"Blasted Earth tech," Ratchet's curse brings me back to attention to the reality. "Cliffjumper's signal popped back online."

"Who's Cliffjumper?" Miko arouses the question behind me to Ratchet, now that we stay on the platform we can't be squished as Ratchet suggested earlier.

_Duh, another robot, simple as that._ I scolded in my mind.

"How is that possible?" Optimus says and takes a closer look at the vst monitor.

"It isn't," Ratchet confirms. "Another bug. The system's full of them."

Arcee joins in with a higher mood. "If there is any chance that Cliff's alive - "

"Ratchet, prepare sickbay. We may need it." A metallic battle mask covers over Optimus' face, as if preparing for a mission.

"Hey! What can we do?" Miko asks loudly. I shake my head and roll my eyes behind her. She's simply _impossible._ And _loud_.

"Remain with Ratchet," comes Optimus' orders.

"Aww," Miko complains in frustration, apparently unsatisfied with the fact she can't go.

I wish I can go too. I need to know more about them, about what exactly happened in my past.

_Someone has to live to tell the tale._

Ratchet doesn't seem any happier than Miko. But he clicks a few buttons and pulls down a cylindrical handle on a machine beside his main controls. And as if someone just shoots a massive green flashlight in, the passageway right opposite to us lights up with that strange light which twirls on the stone wall at the end of the way.

"Autobots, transform and roll out!" Optimus announces, and they all turn into a respective vehicle: Arcee and Bumblebee into a motorcycle and yellowish muscle car with black racing stripes as we've seen, while Bulkhead into a green SUV while Optimus turns into a red-and-blue truck. They run straight into the light and are – gone.

"Whoa, what just happened?" Jack asks in bafflement.

"I just transported them to the designated coordinates by our ground bridge," Ratchet replies.

"What's a ground bridge?" Raf asks.

"You're talking about a teleportation system, are you?" I suggest, and the three humans in front of me almost jumped. I guess that's because it's too much of a rarity that I speak. "You just like – literally bended time and space to transport them into another place through that bridge as a shortcut."

He looks pretty astounded at my guessing. "Technically, yes," he turns back to the monitor and continues with his all-time dull computer work. "It's a scale down version of the space bridge technology, since we currently do not possess the means or energon for intergalactic travel."

"You're stuck here, on Earth?" Jack steps forward and asks.

"With the lives of you, yes," Ratchet replies. "But I constructed the ground bridge that enable travel from here to anywhere on your planet."

"Whoa. Does it work for humans?" Raf sounds so impressed like he wants to jump into that bridge thingy at once.

"Naturally."

"You mean I can just shoot on over and visit my parents in Tokyo?" Miko propounds the possibility ecstatically.

"Within moments. In fact, allow me to send you there immediately, all four of you," Ratchet says somehow, in a threatening tone to Miko as if he wants to drive us out of the place as soon as possible.

"Watch it, Ratchet," Miko retorts.

"So… can we take a look around the place?" Jack suggests for an activity.

Ratchet hesitates. "Just… stay in sight. And watch where you step," he adds sharply. I walk down the platform with Jack and Miko and start exploring the place.

"What is this anyway?" Miko approaches a machine covered in a thick layer of dust when she asks.

"Broken. Don't touch," Ratchet doesn't even cast the slightest look at us, and Miko withdraws her outreached hand immediately. She raises a finger and attempts to touch another machine on the wall right above that when Ratchet says, "Don't touch that either."

"Is there anything here we _can_ touch?" Jack asks.

Without warning the main frame of the monitor beeps loudly and an information box pops out. Bugs.

"How come you guys are using human computers?" Raf asks, who is still remaining on the platform so he can speak to Ratchet in a less tiring way.

"It certainly isn't my choice, it was handed down from the previous hands when it was a Cold war missile silos," he explains. "I made a few modifications as I see fit."

More bug boxes pop out onto the screen as Ratchet groans at sight of them.

"I think I can fix that," Raf suggests timidly, and reaches into his backpack for a laptop I've seen for years, which serves as his all-time companion.

"Really. You know this isn't complex technology, don't you?" Ratchet sneers, clearly underestimating Raf's abilities. "I mean, it isn't a child's toy!"

And he's so wrong with that. I know more than anyone does, that Raf is much more than an ordinary twelve-year-old computer user. I'd say if he ever want to apply for a CIA computer analyst, he can sit in the senior officer's chair right now.

Raf taps his keyboard in smooth and affluent moves. "Now try," he says. Ratchet turns back to the screen, and to his incredulity the bugs are removed – and I guess, with Raf's ability, they're removed permanently.

"Nice one, Raf," I compliment Raf on his work. He beams. He doesn't always get praised. "_Human technologies are faulty_, I suppose you've always wanted to say."

Ratchet rolls his eyes and turns back to the computer. "Whatever you say," he waves up his hand to dismiss the topic.

I take a glance as the machine Miko just left untouched. I wipe away some dust on the surface which covers the manufacturing company. This turns out to be a long-ranged missile launcher, and to my knowledge, this type of missile weighs tons, as I know.

"Then why didn't you fix it?" I look up at the wirings and connections of the machine, estimating its usage. "It's for defending air strike, you know. This can always come in handy."

"Why should we even bother to do that when the Decepticons still do not possess the location of our base?" Ratchet returns. "Besides, it's _teeny_."

"Then your manufacturers should have considered about adding in exquisite working functions."

"Plu-ease, Kal, what do you need to be convinced by our story?" he says tiredly.

"At least a look at your CPU chip."

"Pluhh. _Impossible humans._"

I spot a tool box lying a few feet away from the ground bridge. I grab it and fix the little faulty hitches with the machine – and the faint grayish-yellow monitor lights up with a few words that are flickering, indicating it's functional with a series of beeps.

"Oh, for Primus' sakes, I told you not to touch that!" Ratchet yells exasperatedly and turns to me. "What have you done?" he demands.

I throw a wrench behind casually with a loud GONG of its landing. "You can always use that _teeny_ missile launcher, _doc_," I say sarcastically and strides back onto the stage with Raf.

He drops his metal jaw and walks over for a closer look at the highly functional machine, with the word 'unbelievable 'written on his face. I assume Raf and I have just given him a whole new view on_ kids_.

"Ratchet, bridge us back! Use the arrival coordinates, **now**!" the voice of Optimus rings in the chamber from the computer. Ratchet immediately returns to his post and pushes down the cylindrical handle. The passageway for the ground bridge lights up again and the four vehicles reappeared as they drive into the room, with Optimus coming in last as a cloud of blue flames sticks close to his back.

He transforms back into his robot mode as Ratchet pulls the handle back up to its original position – cutting the flames just in time before anything blows up or catches on fire.

"Wow," Raf and Miko exclaim in admiration together.

"That's a bit close. How about Cliffjumper?"

Bee looks down, as if they're beaten down. Somehow, among all robots, I seem to understand him the most.

"Was that an explosion? Was ther a fight? Can I come with next time?" Miko starts firing off her usual array of questions as if firing a Vickers machine gun.

"Look," Arcee says angrily, pointing out the fact that they barely made it out alive.

"Hey, Miko, let's go see what the bots hide in their sock drawers," Jack pulls her away before she can blurt out any more sensitive questions.

"Seriously?"

I remain at the fence of the stage to get a closer look at the robots. "Arcee, what did you see?" Optimus asks calmly at the femme.

She holds her arms tightly as if she catches a cold. "Not Cliff. At least not anymore," she describes what she sees when they were out for mission. "He was mutated, _butchered_, like something from those 'con experiments during war!"

She loses balance and falls onto a stack of boxes. _You okay Arcee? _Bee endeavors to help but Arcee rejects his hand."I'm fine, just – dizzy," she gasps a conclusion of her status.

If they are just artificial intelligence, they can't possibly use those words. They can't describe mutated or butchered: those are of the aspect of consciousness and humanity. Robots without feelings can never understand that. And the pain of losing Cliffjumper marks on Arcee's face freshly, which I know of too well. That feeling can't be hidden or faked.

"Robots who get dizzy? " Miko brings up her lip-deep question once again.

"Robots with emotions," Raf says.

"Robots who can **die**," Jack concludes what can actually happen. If these robots can die, the protection we get isn't of much use.

But now I understand. For the first time ever, I believe their story: they're not just emotionless robots. They're something more to that.

"Robots who have souls – alive, just like us," I let go of our final definition to them. Not robots. They don't have a programming chip. They're living things.

Ratchet scans Arcee, and takes some suspicious matter abstract in between purplish liquid and gas state from her hand. She is escorted for a decontamination bath by Bumblebee when Jack complains that there is no network reaching to our place as he can't dial anyone.

"A security precaution, the silo wars isolate all radio waves," Optimus explains the reason for his distress.

"Well, if I don't call my mom like, now, I'm pretty sure the cops will be out looking for me," he explains to Optimus.

"Have you broken a law?" Optimus bends down as he questions us.

"Um, curfew. It's after 10pm."

"I better get home too. We'll all be grounded for a year," Raf says. I fold my arms behind him. To be honest I'm used to that, but I won't allow that to happen on Raf.

"Earth customs. I haven't considered," Optimus muses. "But the issue of your safety remains. Bulkhead, accompany Miko home."

"Awesome! My host parents will freak!" Miko cries gleefully, until Optimus adds, "And maintain covert surveillance in vehicle form."

"Curb-side duty, got it."

Her happy grin is replaced with a moan.

"Bumblebee, you'll watch over Raf," Optimus arranges Raf his guardian, whom he seems to be getting along with.

"As for you, Kal…"

"I'll go with Raf and Bee. I live in Raf's house," I tell him the truth. He approves of that arrangement.

"Ratchet…"

"Busy," the medic waves up from his controls as the female warrior comes out of a cylindrical glass room, which appears to be the decontamination bath. "Arcee, you'll accompany Jack."

Jack rubs the back of his head, uncertain of whether it is a good sign.

"Huh. Still dizzy," Arcee says.

"Your fine, says your physician," Ratchet announces her current status. She sighs, and walks over to the stage.

We get down the platform and I get my bike before loading it into Bee's trunk after they transformed. On our way back to Raf's house, I am forced to discuss our story for his mother.

"Maybe you should tell her the story, Kal, I'm not good at lying," he reasons with plead in his eyes.

"She won't believe it if I'm the one telling it; you'll have to agree on whatever I'm saying, okay?"

"Deal, but what's your plan?"

I bite my lips. "I'll say I bought Bee."

"But what if she asks how did you afford that? She's been cutting back on your pocket money."

"I work at old man Joe's repair garage for part-time, remember? Let's say he agreed on giving me an old, crappy and half-broken car at an affordable price, and we fixed it with new painting jobs…"

_Hey, kiddo, do I look old, crappy and half-broken?_ Bee protests.

I gave him a rare little smile."That's just a story. By the way, I think you'll have to stay in the house garage overnight," I tell Bee.

_No problem, I've always wanted to see how's your car ports,_ Bee beeps thoughtfully.

And before we even realize, we've arrived at Raf's home, which the lights were lit and his mom with a not-so-friendly face and hands on her hips was waiting at the front door.

_Uh-oh_, Bee squeaks.

I get off the car and take the bicycle out of the trunk as Raf jumps off his seat.

"So, Kallistrate Malsky," she begins with the usual hard tone. "Ten fifteen now. What's your story this time?"

"Can't you see?" I challenged with a drawling tone. "Car, bicycle."

She grits her teeth. "Raf, back into your room."

"No, Raf. Stay here."

She glares at me, which I stare back in return. Raf just stands there helplessly at our silent argument.

"So," she continues. "Explain how this car comes."

"One of old man Joe's second-hand vehicle. I fixed it and Raf helped with the paint job," I smooth my palm across Bee's hood.

"Mom, Kal is telling the truth," Raf says stiffly. _He seriously needs to improve his lying skills_.

"Why would you need a car, when you have that, well, speedy bicycle?" she points at the bike on my shoulder awkwardly.

"If you don't like it, I'll have it returned and Raf will still go back to school on foot."

With that considerable fact, she thinks for a while. Finally she gives in. "Fine, Kallistrate Malsky," she sighs as she places a palm on her forehead. "Make sure you drive safely."

"Whatever you say, Mrs Esquivel," I return and get into the driver's seat, and drive Bee into the garage.

When I get into the house, Raf is waiting on the stairs.

"We made it," he sighs in relief in my ears. I smile a little.

"It's Saturday tomorrow," I say. "Fun time."


	3. Chapter 3

**A new chapter, combining darkness rising pt. 3 and 4. Enjoy ;)**

* * *

"Hey Bee! You ready?"

I put on my black helmet and push down the glass eye cover.

_Um… are you sure you wanna race with me on that __**bike**__?_ Bee beeps uncertainly, sounding unconvinced at my attempt.

"Trust me. I know where I stand." I attach the speed marker onto the bike handle of my freshly-repaired bicycle. "Raf, buckle up."

"I'm ready." He gives me a thumbs-up as he secures the seatbelt round his body after putting aside his video game remote he has been playing with Bee beforehand.

_Is that a motorcycle helmet? Why are you wearing a motorcycle helmet… on a bicycle?_

I adjust the fingerless black leather gloves on my hands. "Typical traffic protocol. Safety precaution," I reply, but decide that they're safe to be told more. "And a good luck charm."

I zip up the half length black leather jacket and signals Raf. "Anytime, Raf. I'm ready."

"Ready, set… Go!" he shouts, and to my surprise, I'm the one to run off the dirt road which leads to base first.

Bee is slightly left behind my bike and it seems that he doesn't have the intention to get past me. "C'mon, Bee, I'm not going at full speed yet! Don't make me tease you! A muscle car losing to a biker?" I cry back.

At the word 'biker' Bee gains speed suddenly and goes ahead of me almost instantly. Now that's the spirit. I step the pedals even faster, and the speed marker reads 80mph.

_Hey Kal! They're all back already! We'll be late! _Bee signals me to go back and join the others.

Social activities. Oh well, I hate those the most.

"Bee? Want a challenge?" Still going onwards fast, I manage to find a way to lift my spirits. "If you lose, you'll help fix the bike! Deal?"

In respond to my challenge, he goes by double of his original speed, too apparent of having zero intention of helping me. I step the pedals twice as fast as I start to sweat, yet the speed marker is just reading 90mph.

For times I have reached the trunk and endeavour to bypass him, he makes sure that will never happen and turn to block my way. In the end I give in and stick close to his tail pipes, in hopes of not losing too awfully.

Big mistake.

The big car blocks my vision, as well as my sight to the stop sign a couple of yards in front of the base. It is when we enter the entrance when Bee slows down abruptly, leaving me a bout of shock when I gasp and run into his trunk and flip over with my bike, which is still going at the speed of 90+ mph.

With a loud THUMP I land on top of Bee as we enter the chamber, leaving Arcee, Jack, Miko and Bulkhead shocked, who were just laughing and talking about the activities they just had.

I groan as I kick the bike off the hood that is jammed between my legs. "Kal! You okay?" Raf peeks out of the car window and asks.

"Ow." I sit up, and every single strand of muscle in my entire left body is moaning and complaining about the pain. I rub the joints, which ache a damn lot. "I'm fine, still alive."

I leap down the top as Raf gets out, and dashes my way to check on me as I remove my helmet, managing a light curve of smile on my lips to assure my well status.

"Dude! That's awesome! Can I come with next time? How fast can your bike go? Mind borrowing me your bike tomorrow?" Miko shoots me with her usual loaded round of questions.

Once we're in safe zone for Bee to move, he transforms back into his robot mode. "Remind me to fix the brake. How fast did you just go?" I ask.

_That was… 110mph?_ Bee recalls. _Wow. Did your bike really go __**that**__ fast?_

"That's my next target to beat." I beam lightly at him, with my back at the others while swiping the dust on my helmet and hang it on the bike handle, while placing it against the wall.

Suddenly Bulkhead's chest gives a thump and clang of metal. He flips open his chest plate and hands Miko a guitar case.

"Sorry, must've left it in the backseat," she apologizes and gets back her guitar.

Optimus marches forward to our newly joined assembly. "Autobots, prepare to - "

He stops as he gazes down at Arcee and the four humans. "Roll out?" Arcee finishes his line with uncertainty.

"No, remain here. Ratchet, you'll come with me. Arcee we'll be outside communications range for some time, so I'm putting you in charge," Optimus orders.

"Dude! You're the biggest, you should be the boss," Miko complains loudly as she gestures to Bulkhead.

"Oh… he never picks me," Bulkhead replies, with a slight hint of embarrassment I manage to hear.

"Optimus, with all due respect, playing bodyguard is one thing, babysitting's another!" Arcee, who seems to be at no less state of annoyance as Miko complains. "Besides, Ratchet hasn't been in the field since the war!"

"My pistols may be rusty, but my hearing is sharp as ever," Ratchet breaks in sharply.

"For the moment, it's only reconnaissance," Optimus assures her that it'll be just a spell of their upcoming duty.

"Then why do I hear an edge in your voice?" she retorts.

"Arcee, much has changed in the last twenty-four hours, and we all need to adapt," he finalizes the duty arrangement despite her question. "Ratchet, bridge us out." And the pair left through the lighted up green tunnel.

As soon as they have disappeared and the light of the bridge dims Jack speaks up. "Okay, chief, um, so what's on the activities list?"

Arcee doesn't look any way pleased with the arrangement. "I'm going on patrol," she says.

"But Optimus told us to stay!" Bulkhead protests.

"When you're in charge, you can call the shots. Bee, with me," she rearranges the chain of duty.

_Gah! Why me…_ Bee complains in exasperation, but still obeys her orders. "Bulkhead, you're in charge," she commands, and she transforms to her alt form with Bee and leads them out of the entrance.

"So um… what's on the activities list?" Bulkhead asks, when Miko finishes connecting her electronic guitar to a hi-fi set, which gives a screeching loud noise.

"How about… band practice!" she says euphorically.

"But we're not a band!" Raf protests with his hands over his ears.

'Why so anti-social Raf! You play anything?" she walks our way and asks him.

"Um… keyboard?" he suggests and picks up his laptop which he just placed on the hi-fi set a minute ago.

"Laptops have samples! Good!" the maddie finishes in her version of understanding. "Jack?"

"I, eh, sometimes mess around on the harmonica," he says, scratching the back of his head.

"Do I look like I do country?" she steps over and says with an offended tone. "Just cover yourself in fake blood and jump around screaming!"

Then she walks back Raf and my way. "So, Kal, I think you can make a good vocal! Just scream whatever's on your mind as loud as you can!"

I fold my arms in disapproval. "Sorry. I'm the anti-social one." I harden my face and walks away. "You can do whatever you want, Raf; you don't have to listen to her."

I go for the tool box, which is left beside the ground bridge operator, packed and well.

"Whoa. Is she always that mean?" Miko whispers, but can't keep her normally loud volume down for me to hear.

"No, Kal's actually very nice," Raf defends me. I can actually imagine the other's faces at his words. I haven't been playing nice.

"Raf, you can say whatever you think about me but no one's gonna believe you." I turn for the bike left against the wall, still reluctant to look at the so-called band.

"Okay, then… Bulkhead! Percussion! Go for the big industrial sound," Miko continues with her list of duty. "DIY! We're a band! You've just, gotta learn the songs"

I sigh at her surprising self-centeredness as I detach the back wheel. There's no way that she appears as fifteen with her apparently overindulged traits.

"This one's a ballad, 'My fist, your face'," she shouted, appearing as getting too high herself and starts playing a series of loud, unlinked notes with **no** quality of music. Maybe that's what heavy metal sounds like, but my reservations are for rock, and that sounds nothing like rock.

I drop down everything in my hand in frustration and storm into another corridor in anger just to give my ears a break. I've given all the tolerance to Miko Nakadai.

As far as I have gone out of the nasty sounds' reach, what I see wows me.

Standing at the end of this hallway with storerooms locked on the side is a wall of gigantic guns and blasters, resembling what the 'bots have been using to shoot.

"Whoa," I says in admiration at these guns. They are of strong firing strength, as much as I know, and my hands have been itching to grab hold of one of them. for close observations, yes, but I'm pretty much interested in using them actually.

I climb up the wall and snatch the smallest blaster in sight, which is already roughly the size of Arcee's forearm. It has no handles, only a cuboid for the body of the gun, and it looks exactly like what Arcee's blasters too, as much as I can recall.

However I lost my balance midway climbing downwards with the machine gun. I land hard on my back with the gun in my arms.

Despite the hurting sensation on my back I'm too eager to see for myself with this gun. I drag it out the hallway and yelled, "Hey Bulk, you have any smaller guns?"

Bulkhead appears as overwhelmed, mostly, with shock. So are the four other humans.

Wait. Four.

The dark-skinned plump Agent Fowler is standing on top of the platform, staring at me with the others in his sight, his finger pointing at Bulkhead in a certain accusing way.

"Contact with civilians! Team Prime has really gone off the book this time," he says in a bossy tone. "Wait. Don't tell me you're running a daycare centre."

"Um…" Bulkhead has lost his words, uncertain of what he should reply.

"We're… interns!" Jack begins.

"Student interns!" Raf joins in.

"Erm, earning extra credit in auto-shop."

"Robotics."

Dang. Number one: they're really, really bad at lying. They made up an unconvincing story right from the beginning. Team Prime is supposed to be a secret organization, like a black ops team. There's no way interns are getting in. number two: the organization was awful. If Jack said that himself, there would be less contradiction. I can't help but face palmed myself at the end.

"Okay. Let's move, I'm taking all four of you to federal custody for your own protection." The man walks down the stairs to Jack, Raf and Miko. Bulkhead stomps his massive foot in between the three kids and Fowler.

"We're protecting them," Bulkhead growls.

"Is that so?" Fowler says sarcastically, squinting his eye with disbelief, and marches toward the phone set in the base by the stairs. "Well maybe you can explain that to my superiors at the Pentagon."

"Don't use that phone, it's…" Bulkhead seems to have no idea of preventing him from doing so, but he pokes his vast stubby finger into the keyboard. "… out of order."

"This isn't over, big foot, not by a long shot," he declares angrily and strides back up the stairs into the elevator – and he goes up to the parking apron on top of the base.

"Now look what you've got us into." I dump the gun in my hands down, now that Fowler is gonna have this report documented – we're done! As soon as he tells his superiors in Pentagon as he threatened to do so, we'll be expelled from the base, and I'll lost the last hope of knowing the truth to why I lost everything I once owned when young! "We're doomed."

"Don't blame it all on us, Kal," Miko snaps, clutching her guitar hard. "He saw your bike too."

Bulkhead just sigh. We need a solution to this fiasco.

"Raf, can you hack into Fowler's aircraft GPS?" I ask with my hand under my chin. "Try to jam the satellite and block his GPS – if you can try to reset the auto-pilot systems."

"Are you joking?" Jack questions my orders. "As much as I know Raf's a techie, can _he_ do that?"

"Are _you _challenging my knowledge to Raf's abilities?" I hiss a retort in his face threateningly.

Without warning the screen lights up and a beeping signal sounds again. But it's different from the proximity sensors' signals.

"My ears!" Raf squeals as the sounds are ostensibly aching his ears.

"It's an SOS," Bulkhead strides towards the controls as he takes a look at the screen. "From Fowler."

He does something with the controls keyboard with his finger hesitantly, and stops the beeping.

"Did you trace him?" Raf asks worriedly.

"Location scanners are incomplete," Bulkhead responds. "Oh well." He strides away without further saying anything.

"Oh well? Seriously?" Jack exclaims.

"Fowler's a jerk!" Bulkhead answers like it's obvious that he doesn't need to do anything.

"Whoa! Whether you like the guy or not, the Decepticons may have him," Jack reasons. Good answer.

"And Agent Fowler knows your location!" Raf chirps in. Then he suddenly realizes what it means. "_Our_ location."

"And did we just not witness how fast Fowler backs down from a 'bot? The cons will totally make him squeal!" Miko adds loudly.

"Besides, agents possess a great deal of knowledge over national issues, if he really let something slips to the cons it won't be just the base, but the whole nation!" I argue.

"But we lost the transmission!" Bulkhead returns. "Fowler could be anywhere!"

"Maybe I can nail it down," Raf suggests, and sits on the floor with his laptop on his lap turned on. "About five years ago the government started microchipping their agents, you know, like the ones they do with pets!"

He starts to enter some codes and activate his hacking systems, when everyone except me cast him strange looks. "What? I saw it on TV! Anyway, if I can hack into the fed's main frame, maybe I can pinpoint Fowler's coordinates."

"You know how to hack? But you're like… two years old!" Miko says in awe and incredulity.

"_Two?_" I hiss at her face. Can this ignorant Japanese even tell between two and _twelve?_

"Twelve. And a quarter." Raf manages a smug little smile. He doesn't normally get praised or amazed by people.

"Latitude 39.5, longtitude 116.9," Raf copes with the process and finally gets the location of Fowler after about fifteen minutes of hard work. Bulkhead enters the coordinates and activates the ground bridge. "Okay, wait here," he orders.

"Aww, don't break up the band!" Miko coaxes him.

Bulkhead is already at the opening of the bridge when he turns back. "Ehh, Jack! You're in charge!" and he runs into the tunnel, disappearing in a blinding flash of light.

"Then it's we four have the run of the place… Miko?" Jack says. I look sideways. The spot where Miko should be standing has nothing but air consuming the space. "Miko?"

"Oh, fantastic," I roll my eyes and conclude. "The little bitch just ran with Bulk."

"Then what should we do? Bulkhead might not even realize she has fallen in!" Raf says with a quavering voice.

"Miko hasn't seen the cons in action like we have, she has no idea," Jack murmurs worriedly.

"Frickin' awesome," I grumble, and pick the gun I left on the floor up in my arms. "I'm dragging her back before she stirs up another trouble."

"Those are the coordinates, their destination is still locked in," Raf takes a look at the minute computer screen for human use.

"Stay here, you two, it's more than dangerous," I snap, and stride over to the place where the bridge is at, only not fired up yet.

"Huh! Um, Raf, you're in charge!" Jack says, and runs down the stairs.

"In charge of who? He cried.

Jack walks to my side when the bridge lights up and energized. He nods at me as support and we walk into the bright, blinding flashlight.

To my bafflement, Raf follows us.

"No, Raf – stay in base! I can't afford to see you hurted!" I reason with him.

"And I can't afford losing you!" he protests. "Please, Kal, you're the only thing I can hold onto now."

I stare into his eyes. The horror in his look is true, but the determination is also real.

I grit my teeth and harden my heart. Jack's okay, but he's too young. He won't be able to handle what he might see.

How I wish I can tell him he still has his family. But I can't say the words.

"Stick close," I say through gritted teeth, and he trots over with us.

Travelling through a ground bridge is hard to describe: you feel like walking in a twirl of light as if you weigh nothing for a split moment, and your eyes get blurred with rays of light dancing in your eyes. When we arrive we jump down the tunnel and reappear at a valley, with a gigantic alien ship the size of Jasper, Nevada awaiting for our arrival.

"Why don't these guys hang with their 'bots? It's our one-to-one time," Miko, sanding on Bulkhead's big palm folds her arms and says crossly.

"My bones are vibrating," Raf squeaks faintly beside me, trembling. I grunts and swing the gun onto my right shoulder, and hold his arm still with the other, while we walk over to them.

"Humans!" there comes a distant cry from the massive ship, when figures of the purple robots appear without warning, their arms transformed into guns, aimed at us.

"Scrap," Miko and Bulkhead cursed in unison, as another figure approach us, the con's gun aimed well at the three of us.

A shower of firing focuses on us: we miss all the shots by fortune. "Run, _**NOW**_!" I scream and push the boys narrowly away from a hit aimed directly at them. They fall hard on the ground, and Jack covers Raf when Bulkhead, in car form rushes over and opens the door. "Get in, get in!"

Despite their appal they climb onto the car, and I seize my chance as the firing ceases.

"Thanks, Bulkhead," Jack breathes.

" Yeah, thanks!" Raf gasps when I hop onto his seat, forcing him to squeeze space for my presence.

"Wh- what're you doing here!" Bulkhead asks.

"We're worried about Miko. Have you seen her?" Jack arouses as he fastens his seatbelt.

"What's your look like?" the voice of Miko pops behind us. We look back only to see her excited and jolly face, which I find hateful.

Bulkhead makes a sharp turn behind a big piece of rock. He opens the door. "Everyone out, and this time, _please_ wait here."

We hop off as a shot strikes the piece of rock hard, shaking the ground when we land. Then without hesitation Bulkhead charges towards the drifting ship in car form, avoiding the shots, and climbs up to the ship within moves. He takes down the Decepticons in his way when he looks around and suddenly calls, "Where's Miko?"

That's when we realize we're too obsessed with the fight; Miko isn't with us. We look up hopelessly in desperation when suddenly – Bulkhead's chestplate vibrates and a tiny figure appears out of it when he flips the metal plat open: Miko.

Seriously, when will the little troublemaker stop disrupting our lives?

Instantaneously another troop of the identical purple Decepticons appear on the ship out of nowhere as Bulk places Miko on the ground: the two are greatly outnumbered.

Bulkhead snatches Miko up and takes down a couple, but more are marching towards them, and Bulkhead has taken a few shots.

It's my show time.

Although I don't really know how to use the gun in my hands, my instincts with machines has served me well for years. Why not give it another shot?

"Move aside," I snarl as I pull a handle clamped onto the back of the gun. It sounds exactly like what happens when the cons take their aim. Then I swipe my hand over the gun's surfaces, and feel a long rectangular hollow right below the back end of the gun. I dig my finger in the hollow and swipes backward – it feels nothing, but a blast leaves the gun and hits a Decepticon and I am blasted backward along with the gun with the rebounding force.

"Kal! You alright?" Raf and Jack come helps me up, as I grab the heavy gun back.

"I'm fine," I grunt, my hands trembling slightly with the force of the gun. "I think I know how to use it now. Stay close."

I take another down with a careful aim when Raf says, "I think they forgot about us."

He should have touched the wood. A big shadow hoods over us when they turn to see three other purple identical robots advance towards us.

I gasp, but quickly recollect my senses. "RUN!" I bellow, and they obey me, leaving me facing the cons.

They turn to the running boys, but I screamed as I take my multiple shots on them. Within seconds they've fallen, but they boys are out of sight except from two purple cons returning to the ship, and my hands are trembling vigorously as if someone set a faulty motor in my arms.

A roar of engine arrests my attention, and I return to full alert mode. I am almost too relieved to gasp: Bee and Arcee have come to my rescue.

_Get on, get on! Where are they?_ Bee opens his door to me when he beeps. I am pretty much overwhelmed with astound but carried the gun into the car in the end. "I'm – I can't tell, I lost track of the boys, and Miko is on the ship with Bulk!"

"We'll find Miko and Bulkhead first, Jack and Raf might be on board as well," Arcee says to Bee through their comm link. They run onto the ship at top speed and enter the interior areas, which are spookily lit in purplish black lights and has the exact same color scheme for the body paint job.

Two cons appear in our way with at a crossroad, walking to the door on the left, with one of them having both Jack and Raf in his hands. I open the window and set the gun on the window sill and shoot at the twins, and Bee runs into them, knocking them down. Arcee transforms midair and grabs the boys just in time and places them on the floor.

"Bumblebee!" Raf exhales in relief when I hobble off and Bee transforms back to his normal form.

_Are you guys okay? Why did you come into the Nemesis!_ Bee speaks worriedly.

"I appreciate you three clearing the front door for us, but storming the Decepticon warship is not on the activity list!" Arcee says.

"Tell me about it," Jack waves up his hands as he says, but he can't hide the relief on his face.

We dash our way down the corridor, and now the gun seems to weigh less soon as I get used to it.

It is when we go to the end of the corridor when we run into Bulkhead and Miko at another crossroad.

"Brought the humans, huh?" Arcee says in a plain tone. I can't tell whether she's mad or not.

"You tried to get them staying behind!" Bulkhead protests.

"We'll find Fowler, and we'll get these kids out of here," Arcee concludes our mission.

"Um… he's in the break," Jack and Raf say in unison.

The three bots stare at each other, exchanging a silent agreement. Then we follow them storming another enormous room, probably the size of Raf's house, and we're made to stay put when they're off to save Fowler.

As soon as the door closed automatically behind them, Miko is more than excited to share her feelings.

"That was intense!" she squeals as if she's over the moon.

"What?" Raf gasps.

"Well, it's because of you we're stuck in this intensity. What were you thinking, Miko?" Jack says accusingly.

"Did I ask you to follow me?" she says haughtily, as if it's our fault to follow her.

"You wanted us to be a band, doesn't that usually mean we're playing together?" Jack points angrily.

"Well, maybe I decided to go solo," she says indifferently.

"Well, maybe I'm concerned about your safety!"

"Well, maybe I prefer the two of you to be quiet when we're still on enemy grounds!" I separate the two with the long shotgun when they start to have physical accusing. They stare at me furiously. "Shut up while I check the room," I snap.

I leave the trio at their ground while I make my way forward and take a scan around the place. No guards. Safe for the period.

"It's all your fault, we wouldn't have been here," Jack hisses.

"Oh, I'm sorry, is your name Optimus?" Miko sneers sarcastically. "You can leave my protection to Bulkhead, thank you very much!"

"Ugh! Stop it! Both of you!"

Raf shouts, and leaves them both, running to my side. I am shocked: Raf rarely shouts.

I bend down to check on him. Tears of fear are welling in his eyes, ready to fall. But he holds them back.

It has been a hell of a day for him to make through. He's quite fearless as much as I've seen, but he's clearly petrified. After all, he's just twelve…

I hug the kid, and he trembles in my arms. "When can we leave?" he asks on my shoulder with a broken down voice.

"Hey, Raf, it's okay," Jack assures him as he runs our way.

"Yeah, we'll be fine," Miko joins in. I cast her a condemning eye.

"Listen to me, Raf," I hold his shoulders, and he looks at me. "Sit down, and take a break. Don't think about it, I'll make sure you'll be home, alive and safe. I promise."

"Our bots will come back for us," Jack says, as he leads Raf for a break, sitting on a gigantic staircase.

"Yeah, they're gonna take us home!" Miko reassures him.

"How do you know," Raf mumbles with a grave voice.

And that's quite sad. He was quite pessimistic towards our situation: I, however, am not an optimistic person. Can't help, and I can't fool myself into feeding him with false hopes.

"Nothing is certain until it has happened," I tell them. They don't look any cheered up. I'm sorry, but that's me.

I sigh and turn around, suddenly my attention arrested by a vast purplish glass screen, which is ten times larger than Ratchet's and is filled with some kind of unknown language.

But there's something more than unknown language… something I can recognize. Something I've been studying.

"Raf." I wave backwards to get his attention. "You have a flashdrive?"

He looks up at the screen I'm staring at, and immediately realizes its importance as I do. He hops down the stairs to take a closer look beside me.

"What's that?" Jack asks.

"It's important. Real important," Raf answers him. "I've gotta get this to Optimus!"

"How do you know this isn't just a recipe for space nachos," Miko questions him.

"I know math when I see it. That is one serious equation," he analyses what he sees to Miko. But I guess she's too foolish to understand.

"Not just math," I correct him. "It's physics. Plus some engineering and schematics."

"Can you… download it?" Jack shrugs in desperation and asks.

Raf thinks for a while. "I got a flashdrive." He opens his backpack and fishes a USB out.

"But there's no plug-in available for it," I take a close scan across the device.

"There should be…" Raf takes his step forward and check under the keyboard.

That's when heavy footsteps stride into the room.

Another purple typical Decepticon enters the room, fixing his glance on us. We drop our jaws.

Without further hesitation, Jack drags Raf away while Miko leads them away to run for their lives, as I falter. Raf, however, leaves his greatest concern - his backpack behind. He turns back for it midway on the run.

Raf just gets to swing the backpack over his shoulders when the con turns his right arm into the pistol again and aims at him. He gasps at sight of it as I unlock my own oversized gun with a pair of trembling hands.

"Run! I'll cover you!" I shout, and swipe the trigger again. But this time, after all the shooting and carrying the heavy gun, my hands are quavering like mad and I miss the target. The shot hit the little area just a foot away from the con's leg, which can't stop him. My gun falls onto the hard metal ground instead as I collapse backwards with the push-back effect.

He takes his return fire on Raf. He takes multiple shots on the running kid but misses all of them and on the spur of the moment, Jack pushes Raf sideways and keep them out of shooting range.

"Miko, take a picture!" Jack shrieks.

"Great idea!" Miko gives him a thumbs-up as the con draws himself nearer to the two boys, while I push myself slightly backwards. "Hey, You!" Miko yells and gets his attention, snatches out her phone and takes a picture of the con.

"Not of that, of _that_!" Jack screams and points at the screen we were just planning to download the details.

"Oh," Miko says as she finally gets his intention through her head, and takes another snap.

That's when I finally grab hold onto my colossal gun and force-stopped the twitching arms. I take another shot at the con but hit his arm – giving enough time to confuse and harm him enough for their escape to the door.

That doesn't last long, and he blasts the door open, conveniently providing the three with a means of escaping.

He follows them, and I hasten after as fast as I can manage with the gun tight within my grip.

They make a sharp turn round the corner of the exit. The con is about to shoot them when a car horns – and Bulkhead transforms and bumps the creep bot down and nails him.

Bee and Arcee, both in vehicle form arrives at the three kids' sides. They hop on when Arcee shouts, "I told you to stay put!" and quickly drives them away as soon as I hop onto Bulkhead in his car form.

"You got Fowler?" I ask immediately once I take my seat.

"Right at the back with Bee," Bulk replies, and within moments we are out of the ship.

We arrive back at base when Optimus and Ratchet, who are in a 'less-than-okay' state makes their arrival as well. They patch up the injuries in silence as we get Fowler into a patient's bed until Miko asks, "What happened to you guys anyway?"

"We engaged an army of undead cybertronian warriors," Ratchet replies gravely.

"Zombies? You fought zombies and I missed it?" was Miko's only reply.

I can't help but think, _when will she actually grow up?_

"Bulkhead, you exercised extremely poor judgement in allowing the humans to accompany you," Optimus lectures.

"It won't happen again, Optimus. I – I promise."

"But it wasn't Bulkhead's fault!" Miko argues.

"Miko – please!" Bulkhead pleads her to stop.

"And check it out. Recon!" she takes out her phone and shows Optimus the photo she's taken.

Optimus bends down for a clearer view at the small image.

"Hmm. Ratchet, have a look. It could be of importance to Megatron."

"Whoa. Megatron's back? That's really bad news, right?" Jack steps forward as he asks.

Just by hearing the name sends me shivers all over, although it isn't obvious to people around. Bad memories wash over me and I can hear an exchange of words in my head I've heard, years ago:

_Lord Megatron, the cargo's discovered and is ready for transport…_

_Excellent! Now, destroy… this will never be a record in human history._

I almost gasp, and the flashback sends me a bout of wooziness and numbness in my limbs. But I quickly hold myself together.

"I… don't understand." Ratchet's words draws me back to reality. Miko withdraws her phone immediately.

"Oops, that's the con who tried to blow Raf away. At least, that's what he **looked** like before Bulkhead rearranges his grill," she describes enthusiastically, as if the phrase 'blow Raf away' means nothing at all to her. That literally pisses me off, and Raf just manages to grab my wrist before I do any physical harm to Miko the dumbass.

"Miko, Raf was almost killed!" Jack shouts angrily, and the hatred and anger towards Miko boils in my heart. "This isn't a game! When are you going to get that through your tick skull!"

"Um, we were all almost killed, Jack, you, me, Raf and Kal. Even them!" Miko argues.

"That wouldn't have happened if you hadn't followed Bulk at the beginning, Miko!" I raise my voice above its normal volume. "You almost lost me my brother, and you wouldn't be standing here loud and alive if anything happened to him!"

She stares at me in shock, as I pant lightly at my furious words.

I've had enough of Miko Nakadai. She's nothing but trouble.

"Well, if that's just an average day with the Autobots, then I don't want to be a part of it. Not anymore," Jack concludes.

He leaves every one of us in awe. Even I haven't requested for that.

"Jack, putting you in harm's way was never our intent. However it is no longer the safety of you three that is at risk, but the safety of all human kind," Optimus tells him calmly. "We will respect your decision if you wish to leave."

Without any hesitation Ratchet activates the ground bridge at the words. "No point for long goodbyes, here's the door."

"Come on, Raf." Jack turns to us.

Raf just takes a look at Bee, who looks miserably aside. Neither of them wishes to part.

"I'll be okay, Jack. See you at school," Raf says.

Jack grunts. "Kal? You coming?"

As much as the desire of staying away from Miko urges me to follow, my regard for Raf's safety keeps my sanity.

And, my mother's last sentence holds me back.

_Someone has to live to tell the tale._

Jack's leaving; yet I have to stay, at least until I've found out the truth to the reason for my early childhood's destruction.

"I'm staying. Someone has to live to tell the tale."

He raises an eyebrow at me, uncertain of the meaning in my words.

"It's your thing," he leaves his last sentence at base to us.

He walks down the stairs when Arcee stands in his way before the activated ground bridge, her arms crossed.

"I know, you don't exist." He waves at her, and walks past the Autobot into the ground bridge.

"Don't make me hunt you down." And Jack disappears into the flash of light as Arcee just finished her word.

Now that Jack's gone, Ratchet closes the ground bridge.

"Optimus, I think we all need time to get over everything today. I'm going back for now," I tell the leader of the bots.

"I want to go home. I'm really tired." Raf stares down at his shoes and rubs his arm.

"Dude! Why leave so early when we haven't finished listening to their story?" Miko gestures at Ratchet and Optimus.

"I've had enough story for today. Raf, let's go." I take Raf's outreached hand and walks off the stage. Bee transforms into his car form and I grab my bike with its scattered components and we enter the car, leaving the base.

The sudden silence sends us a tiring sensation as we speed back to Raf's house, where his mother, once again, is waiting in front of the door.

"So…"

"Nine fifteen. We haven't break curfew." I park Bee into the garage and leave the bike beside him. Raf simply runs upstairs back to his room.

The woman glares at me angrily. I ignore her furious gaze and walk upstairs, and find Raf sitting on the bed in his room, his door half-shut.

I knock lightly. He looks up miserably and nods at me, granting me permission to get in.

I enter the room and shut the door, and sit on the chair right next to his bed.

"So," I begin. "Say whatever you want."

"I'm… I'm really not sure if I want to stay." he buries his face in his knees. "After everything we're through with today… I'm really scared, Kal. I am." I pat his shoulder lightly as reassurance.

"I've stand through many things with you, Raf," I tell him as gently as I can manage. "But this time, I'm staying. No matter what."

He looks up, staring at the wall right opposite. "I don't know," he murmurs. "But you, and Bumblebee…"

"The choice is in your hands," I say firmly. "Don't let my decision alter your choice. As for Bee… he makes a good friend. That's all I can say."

He turns to me, mildly surprised at what I said. Friend. It's not something that appears on my vocabulary list normally.

"Think it through tonight." I give him a tiny smile and stroke his up-shooing hair, and leave his room.

Instead of returning to mine, I go downstairs and give some final amendments to my bike. Then I put on my helmet, adjust my full-time wearing gloves and zip up the jacket again, ready to hit the road.

_You want a ride? You can always hop on and I can take you out for a spin,_ Bee volunteers to take me out.

"Not today. It's too late and we'll wake everyone."

I kick ground and the bike runs out. I ride along the streets silently under the starry sky alone, enjoying the cool breeze blowing onto my face.

Until another young man on his bicycle comes my way. Jack.

I stop the bike mid-road and block his. He's forced to stop before me.

"First Miko, and I can't believe now it's you," he says. "What do you want?"

I nod towards a pub to my right. "A drink."

"Thanks, Kal, but beer's for you, not me."

"You sure you want to leave?" I ask after I few seconds of silence.

"I know what I said." he scratches the back of his head.

"Don't lie."

He stares at me, rather astounded, and looks back down on his wheels.

"About what you said back at base – what does that mean?" he asks after a moment of intense silence.

"It's none of your business," I snap, but soften a little. "I was referring to myself. I'll make sure someone can live to tell the tale. This time, for sure."

He still looks confused, but I understand. I haven't told him or anyone the whole story.

My watch beeps. It just strikes 10pm.

"Curfew. Gotta go now."

I turn the wheel and ride away in silence, alone – leaving no evidence of coming out illegally.

* * *

**There you go, I'll do whatever I can to update soon.**

**I've lost a bit of motivation in continuing the story... is it not mature enough to be presented?**

**Please do feel free to post your feelings on the reviews wall, as long as you don't swear as much as Kal does XD. Your supports to me is appreciated when it comes to writing stories.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Lady Nightsong: Thanks for all the support and advice! I'll take that, and perhaps Kal might get _slightly _nicer after a bit warm up with the crew ;)**

**It's been really long before I last touched my computer... sorry, school and tests are killing me :p**

**Anyways, next week is slightly less tense as the last, and I spare myself for a while (honestly that's an excuse not to study for a while XD). You have the next chapter, folks, on Darkness Rising Pt. 5.**

* * *

Nightmares suck.

Sure, nightmares are my daily visitors, but tonight's are worse than ever. How many times have I seen Raf escaping narrowly from the guns of the cons? How many ways have I seen him being killed by the cons? The screamings and terrifying scenes fill my head… help.

The last one is the nightmare I see the most, yet the most horrible one.

I sink into empty darkness, almost relieved about being spared from nightmares until new voices ring in my brain:

"_So! These are the life forms on this planet. How interesting…"_

_People scream. Voices both I recognize and can't recognize occupy my head. I want to end it, I force myself to wake, but it is like I'm stuck in a theatre that wouldn't allow audiences to leave until the play has ended, forcing me to stay…_

"_Frederick! Grab the bike, take Kal and go! Someone has to live to tell the tale…"_

_I want to scream, I want to plead my mother to go with me, I want to drag her with me if only I can, but it's just a dream, and I see nothing but darkness, pit darkness…_

_A new voice joins. A metallic voice, a low, eerie voice joins:_

"_Lord Megatron, the cargo's discovered and is ready for transport…"_

"_Excellent! Now, destroy… this will never be a record in human history."_

The owner of that alpha and omega sentence of that single dream cackles in a way so devilish, so creepy that scares my life out of my mind, and I can never forget that evil laughter. Then a loud long blast fills my head – and I wake up on my bed panting, soaked in cold sweat.

I sit up on my bed, still trembling in my place, remove my blankets and smooth the goosebumps all over my arm resulted from the dreams.

I pinch my arm hard, ensuring everything is real when a few gentle knocks sound on my tightly-shut door. "Come in," I pronounce, trying to keep my tone normal while wiping the sweat over my forehead.

Raf, already in his usual outdoors outfit peeps through a gap he opens on my door. "It's nine, Kal; Bee's calling downstairs."

"Yeah, right. Base." I shake my head, trying to keep my gaze focused and senses alert. "Go get some breakfast, I'll meet you downstairs."

He nods, and closes my door quietly.

I sigh in relief, and get changed into my usual outfit: a sleeveless plain white T-shirt, tight black pants, soft black boots, black fingerless biker gloves and my mother's black half-length leather jacket.

My mother's jacket. One of the closest memories with my family, something to hold onto.

I take a quick look in the mirror. I look slightly paler than normal, and my choppy short hair is wild as ever, except that it's slightly glittering in sweat.

I march downstairs, where the devil of the house, Mrs Esquivel is already getting the finished dishes into the kitchen.

"Too late, Kallistrate Malsky. You'll either make your own meal or you find your breakfast outside."

I ignore her and stride for the fridge, and fish out a can of beer.

I slap the can open right in her face and take a large, refreshing gulp from it. "This will keep me up and alive for a whole day."

She glares, but she doesn't do anything else, and really – why now? She hadn't reported my underage beer consumption even she'd known for years.

"Raf's going out with you today?" she asks as I reach the front door.

"We won't break curfew" is my curt reply, before shutting the door behind me.

Raf is already standing by Bee, who's at the moment in his vehicle mode with doors opened waiting for us.

"Get in. It's fun Sunday today, isn't it?" I beam at the boys.

"Sure it is. I've brought the video game set. Maybe we can try to set it up in base!" he grins widely at the idea while fastening his seatbelt at the backseats.

I take a last gulp of beer from the can and throw it into the trash can a few yards outside the garage. Strike. "Hey, Bee, mind if I sit in the driver's seat?" I ask, and without waiting for his answer I've occupied the place already. "Don't wanna have people casting us weird looks."

Fortunately he's fine with that, and he doesn't expel me from the place. _As you like it, I don't wanna get famous for this, _he beeps thoughtfully. _Do you want to hold the wheel then?_

"Not necessarily, you're the boss," I muse and lean backwards comfortably. "As long as there's someone in the seat, everything's gonna be okay."

The engine of the muscle car starts up, and we speed onto the road.

We enjoy ourselves in a brief spell of peacefulness and quietness, until the silent radio sounds. "Bumblebee, are you taking the kids in?" comes Ratchet's voice.

_No worries doc, we're on the way,_ Bee replies.

"Well then, we need you to come in for a mission now, it's urgent."

_No problem doc bot._

Bee speeds up on the dirt road, meaning our peaceful time will end as soon as we arrive – with Miko in the base. That's just too sad.

Sooner than we even realise, we've arrived in Autobot base, where Optimus, Ratchet, Bulkhead and Miko are waiting. Arcee is missing, and so is Jack. Suddenly it feels weird.

Bee transforms into his robot mode before we even get out, having the two of us sitting on either side of his big shoulder up high.

"Seriously? You don't even ask if we mind?" I manage a smile, sitting slightly backwards to keep me from falling forward.

_Oh well, I guess you aren't afraid of heights, and that's fun!_ Bee protests.

I shrug, and don't even bother to say anything more. I like that feeling, I have to admit.

_Okay, so… what are you guys planning on to now? We've got con fight?_ Bee asks the other bots eagerly.

"We have a mission for you, Bumblebee," Ratchet says, still working on his computer with his back to us, the assembled crowd. "To us _all_, to be exact."

"The cons are up to something with their space bridge. Ratchet's trying to pinpoint its location," Bulkhead explains.

"Do you recall I've been talking about the army of undead we've encountered last night?" Optimus asks us.

"Yeah, zombie-cons, and I'm still holding a grudge that I couldn't see them," Miko folds her arms down on the ground. I sigh and roll my eyes, kicking my legs. _She never learns._

"From what we've encountered yesterday, I believe… that this is what Megatron is planning on doing," Optimus says. "He is attempting to recruit a larger army of undead Cybertronians, with dark energon."

"But the only place he can do so is…"

"Cybertron."

Optimus finishes Ratchet's line, and I shift my position on Bee's large shoulder uncomfortably. "Your planet?" I ask uncertainly. "Isn't it…"

"Abandoned, nothing but a piece of scrap yard. But the population of dead and corpses lying on Cybertron is astronomical, and that is more than enough for Megatron to raise an army capable of destroying Earth."

_Destroying Earth… _the two words sound impossible to be linked together. I don't really care what might happen to me, but I'm concerned about Raf's safety, and the innocent lives that could be caused.

For a short while it is silence except from having Ratchet tapping his keyboard and constant beeping on the screen. "Optimus, I've pinpointed the location of Megatron's space bridge, high in Earth's orbit," he informs the leader with a grave voice.

"Out of our reach," Optimus murmurs, taking a closer look at Ratchet's result on the vast monitor.

"Okay so, you guys don't fly. Can't you just ground bridge there?" Mio arouses.

"The ground bridge has limited range," Ratchet explains tiredly. "Stretch all the way into the orbit's vortex could snap – and scatter us to the stars."

Miko is speechless for once, looking astounded and holds her ground.

"Since Megatron is already in transit, I'm afraid we must take that risk," Optimus finalises. "Reaching the space bridge first is our only means of stopping him."

Suddenly a couple beeping of car arrest my attention. We all turn, and see Arcee with an unexpected passenger on her motorcycle form: Jack Darby.

He gets off the bike and takes of his helmet. "Hey, guess who's back," he tries to keep a cheerful tone.

"Someone **did** lie last night," I reply dryly, and he blushes slightly. But actually, I'm partially quite glad he's back. At the least point, he's less as insufferable as Miko; and more, he's been playing nice around.

Still, everything seems more crowded with another participant. And I don't exactly like to be social. Having him returning almost equals more social interaction, which is something I hate. Oh well, that's me.

"Autobots, prepare for departure," Optimus announces before the ground bridge.

"Where're we to?" Arcee asks.

"The final frontier," Miko tells her.

"Space? I thought they didn't have any way to get there!" Jack says.

"They don't. Really," Raf says, as Bee gestures us to get of his shoulder and get onto his palm, so he can put us on the solid ground.

"Um, be seeing ya?" Jack asks Arcee awkwardly as I stand on the ground onto my feet. Arcee just shrugs, and she smiles and walk to the bridge entrance.

Ratchet enters the destination coordinates into his computers and fires up the bridge. It lights up with the usual blur of green and white flash, which I am now used to.

"Be careful, Bee." Raf turns to our giant yellow friend, who is kneeling on the ground facing us.

"Stop them, no matter the cost," I tell him stiffly. Suddenly I realise how dangerous the mission it can be, and I can't help but have this feeling: I can't afford to lose him. "Take care," I add.

_I'll see you two when I'm back,_ Bee promises, and gets back onto his feet, and strides towards the entrance of the bridge.

"I'm so jealous," Miko says to Bulkhead.

He knows too well what she has on her big mind. He holds out a big palm. "Don't even think about following me," he warns her.

Ratchet's farewell to the team, however, is the most unexpected one. "Optimus, if you leave me stranded on this planet taming with humans, I will _never_ forgive you."

Optimus' reply is simple. "Until we meet again, old friend. Autobots, roll out!"

At sound of the last word the four bots transform into their respective vehicle mode before the bridge, and disappear into the blur of light.

We walk up the stage for easier communication with Ratchet and the others through the comm link. Miko appears to be unusually quiet – in fact, every one of us are.

A moment of dead silence. I get uneasy, for getting no status updates from any of the bots, and decide to chew on some gum to relief the worry. Before long Arcee's voice rings around the chamber from Ratchet's systems. "Well, what are they waiting for?"

"It appears the Decepticons have sustained a serious to their interstellar navigation system," Optimus confirms their denied attack.

"Oh, that's my handiwork," Bulkhead muses.

"Great job, Bulkhead. Without the dish, Megatron will be unable to aim the space bridge at Cybertron."

"Don't the Decepticons don't know where their own planet is?" Raf raises the question.

"Naturally. But Cybertron is many light years away. To reach their target their aim must be astronomically precise," Ratchet responds to Raf's question.

"If Megatron went into the trouble of rondival with his space bridge, he must have an alternate targeting system. A remote one," Optimus concludes the hypothesis of the cons' intentions.

"Humph. From what I know of Earth's technology I doubt there exist a single radio telescope dish on this planet powerful enough to pinpoint Cybertron," Ratchet says.

"What about a whole bunch of linked radio telescopes? Like the giant-sized array in Texas," Raf searches on his computer and suggests an alternative.

"Zip-ip-ip-ip! That, this is not a child's play!" Ratchet waves his gigantic hand at us frantically.

However, Optimus doesn't seem to share the same thought as Ratchet. "Good thinking, Raf," his voice transmits through the comm link. "Ratchet, have Agent Fowler alerted the concerned staff to the security hazard?"

"You! Soldier!" Fowler cries on the other side of the stage all of a sudden, sitting up on his patient bed pointing at Ratchet. "You're not in a uniform! Put on some pants!" then he falls back unconscious on his bed.

"That may be a challenge," Ratchet muses, shaking his head.

Raf turns back to his computer and tries to hack into the computer systems of the network he mentioned. "I can't get through the firewalls. They're too thick!"

"You? You actually think you can keep the Decepticons out?" Ratchet questions him behind us.

"Maybe, if I can get in."

"Wait, Raf, what if we can get you… all the way in? Like, inside the building in," Jack suggests.

"If I can walk into their tone network on the other side of the firewall."

"The risk is too great," Optimus tells us. "The Decepticons will be there, perhaps even armed sight."

"Optimus, with all due respect, you said it yourself, this is bigger than the safety of three humans," Jack reasons.

"Yeah! If we let the cons win, we're fragged along with everyone else on our planet," Miko joins in.

"We cannot afford to let the cons win. Nobody can," I emphasise.

Optimus thinks for a while. "Raf?"

Raf looks down, thinking hard. "I wanna give it a shot."

"Very well," Ratchet sighs. "Raf, pass the coordinates so I can bridge you in. _All four_ of you in. and, Kal, I want you to bring that blaster in for safety measures. You can shoot with that, right?"

I look at the massive blaster he has placed in front of his controls which I've been using just the day before. I can remember well how to function it, and I surely can sense how the bones in my hands are still echoing resulted from all the shooting the day before. "Should be." I walk over and pick the gun up without further hesitation. We have no time to lose.

Ratchet fires up the bridge while we march down the stairs, with Miko squealing behind me, "S-weet! This is gonna be fun!"

I shake my head and sigh. This is meant to be a low-profiled mission, and I highly doubt if the girl can keep the record low.

Before we go into the bridge I turn back at Ratchet. "You have our numbers, doc? For communication?"

He stares. "Well, none of you gave me!"

I tell him my number, and plug the Bluetooth earphone into my ear. He connects his computer to my phone and I can hear him through the earpiece. "Just keep the line open. I'll call for a ground bridge when we need it."

We walk into swirl of light and within moments of walking, we jump off the bridge and are in the place Raf mentioned, even within the security fence. Great. We've passed the first barrier.

However, the others don't appear to be at such a good state. They groan as soon as their feet hit the solid ground. "Better take some time to get use to it." Jack rubs his forehead and groans.

"Whoa." Miko recovers from her queasiness first and look up to see a whole bunch of radar satellites with apartment houses standing between each one of them. We know too well what we should do, and dash for one of the houses, our destination.

With luck the guards aren't patrolling our way when we sneak into the house, and conveniently find a room with a computer capable of serving our use.

"Security sure is lax in this place," Miko comments as she shut the door behind her, while Raf start to work his computer magic with Jack and I standing guard beside him.

"Sure that sounds easy to you, Miko. We just went through without passing the most heavily guarded barrier," I tell her, and spit the piece of chewed-out gum into my palm and stick it onto the side of the table.

"I'm in," Raf announces as he gets into the system. "And so are the Decepticons."

"What?" Jack exclaims.

"How can you tell?" Miko asks.

"Schematics. With the same mainly and math, but this time I can download it." Raf pulls out a USB and plugs it into the flash drive plug-in.

"It's gotta be the space bridge," Miko concludes.

"The Decepticons are sinking it into their dishes. But I can sink into that."

"Um, will they know?" Jack asks, can't keep the obvious worry in his voice out.

"Even the Decepticons see that I'm in the system, they'll have no idea I'm in the house!" Raf reassures him of our safety, and continue overdriving the systems.

The graphics and images on the screen keep evolving and I lost track of the progress soon. Then in the end an image of three spheres combine into one and turns red. "The Decepticons have locked onto Cybertron. But not for long." Raf continues working vigorously after a spell of pause. Soon enough, the graph of Cybertron breaks apart again, and with a few whizzes above head signal us that Raf has succeeded in his plan.

I am about to encourage him onto working when he says, "The dishes are heading back to Cybertron. I'll just undo that again."

"What happens if the cons know they're punked?" Jack asks.

"It's only virtual combat. You know, like online gaming!" Raf explains the concept to him.

The gun in my grip is getting heavier and heavier. I slam it onto the table. "I won't be needing it now anyway."

"Yeah, Jack, what can the cons do? They're probably a thousand miles away," Miko laughs, trying to ease the tense atmosphere.

Big mistake.

Behind us, I hear sounds like metal tentacles tickling. Jack and I turn, only to see a creepy long cable with something like automated moving live wires tickling behind us. "Whoa!" Jack screams, and I just duck in time before the tentacle cable slams onto me along with Jack and Miko, who unfortunately are pulled away by it and slammed onto the wall with a loud BAM. Ouch. I reckon that hurts.

Cons. They must've somehow found us. Whatever is the reason to this, I don't have time to bother.

"I won't let them lock on again!" Raf says determinedly, and I realise I am the only one who can buy him some more time to let him take control over the situation. I pull the blaster I left on the table behind and take my aim, which is difficult. I take multiple shots and the reaction of the gun is so vigorous that my fingers start to tremble and my arms get numb, which is too bad that I can't even get the swaying cable-weapon of the cons damaged in the slightest means.

"C'mon! I'm here!" I bellow, getting its attention as to as to keep it off Raf and the others. Raf, with a frightened look on his face keep concentrating on the computer and working without stop, uninfluenced by the cable-arm's series attack.

The cable-arm shoots towards my way, attempting to knock me down with its thick cable. I jump over it just in time and run for the door, where the cable arm leads out. But it is much faster than I am, and soon as I reached the door the con grabs my gun and smashes it onto the floor, snapping the hard solid gun into half.

"Kal! What is happening?" Ratchet screams on the other end of our link, which I decide to ignore first. I falter as the cable turn to me. Then it sway its end at me, and I don't manage to jump in time, ending up tripping over, falling hard on my back onto the smashed gun right beside a groaning Jack and Miko.

The tentacle turns towards Raf. Raf has his frights creeped out with the tentacles tickling by his side. He swiftly pulls out his flash drive and jumps off the chair right before the cable smashes it into pieces.

"Raf!" I scream, and my little brother runs my way with the downloaded data in his hands. Meanwhile, Miko appears to have recovered from her crash. She grabs an axe on the wall behind her and charges at the cable-arm, only to get herself disarmed and smashed back hard onto the wall again.

What's worse, the cable-arm picks the axes on the floor up with its tiny live wires on the end.

"You handed it an _axe?_" Jack cries incredulously.

"That's brave of you, but stupid!" I yell.

"Not good," Raf murmurs beside me with a quavering voice.

The armed cable waves the axe high up, ready to slice us. Without hesitation I push the trio sideways so as to avoid the life-threatening weapon, but the cable retreats and leaves the room with its newly found weapon.

We drag Miko out and dart towards the room where the cable has disappeared into. And what we see only shocks us.

A full-size Decepticon is standing on the opened roof of the single room, and turns its head towards us. Instead of seeing a face with the commonplace v-shaped red optic for eyes, the thing in front of us literally has no face, but a single piece of glass cover.

Miko takes her phone out and snaps a photo of it. In response, the con also makes a snap sound, and we see his glass face – lighted up like a monitor, with a picture of the four of us he just snapped. Then he jumps upwards, transforms midair into a jet – and flies away without a single evidence of its visit.

"Why is he leaving?" Miko asks.

Raf walks over to a black cable, which has the axe embarked onto it. I can actually feel the blood in my veins freezing. The hard lines are cut.

"It's cut the hard lines. The dishes are locked onto Cybertron," Raf says mournfully as he check on it. "For good."

I bite my lip and look down at the axe, the evidence of our failed mission. That's when I realise Ratchet's still screaming on the other side of the link. "Answer me, Kal! What is happening? Are you attacked?"

"Ratchet, send us a ground bridge." I stride out of the room and get into our previous hacking room to retrieve the smashed blaster.

"What do you mean? Wait, don't tell me - "

"Mission failed. We need another way to stop the cons," I growl through gritted teeth.

A moment of pause. "Very well, I'm sending a ground bridge to your arrival coordinates," Ratchet sigh as the other three gather behind me. I cut off the line on my earpiece. "Let's go back."

* * *

"So you've been ambushed, by a Decepticon right next door?"

Ratchet's welcome back speech isn't exactly encouraging.

"Yeah! This one, some random faceless con attacked us with his creepy ginormous space tentacles!" Miko runs up the stage stairs as soon as Ratchet power down the ground bridge, and show him her phone with the picture of the con we saw.

Ratchet takes a close look at her phone. "Soundwave," he grumbles. "Megatron's communications administrator."

I place the snapped blaster onto the spot where it was placed before Ratchet's controls. "Didn't mean to snap it. I couldn't take Soundwave down," I apologize.

"It is not your fault you could not stop him, Kal. Soundwave is no ordinary Cybertronian, and it's hard for anyone to take him down," Ratchet comforts me.

All of a sudden his monitors start to beep and a radar signal image pops onto the screen. A worried look emerges on his face almost instantly. "Optimus, I'm registering a rapidly mass in their space bridge vortex, with a peculiar energy signature," he informs the bots on the other side of the link.

"Dark energon," there comes Optimus' grave voice from the computers. "Ratchet, we must destroy the space bridge. There's enough live energon coursing through it to achieve definition, but we lack the fire power to ignite it."

"If I knew how the space bridge was engineered, I might find a tactical way of achieving it," Ratchet says tiredly and looks downwards.

"Um, would schematics help?" Raf pulls the USB drive out of his pocket and holds it to Ratchet.

Ratchet stares up onto the screen. "Optimus, I must say, the space bridge is our sole hope of ever returning to Cybertron. Are you certain its destruction is the only option?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Then by all means, let us light our darkest hour."

"Autobots, take your positions, and follow Ratchet's lead," Optimus instructs his team into working.

Ratchet instructs Raf on passing information to him, so that he can study whatever information we have. Agent Fowler just gets up from his unconscious state, and keeps tabs on our work and on Ratchet's screen.

"These things are getting closer," he pops without warning, gesturing at the signal diagram of the space bridge's status. "That's bad, right?"

"Ratchet, we're in position," Arcee's voice sounds through the computer.

"Arcee, pay close attention," Ratchet says, while instructing Raf to open a certain file with some diagrams of engineering artefact. "Now follow the line from the flow regulator to the energon pub. There should be a vial."

"I see it," Arcee confirms, and we can hear a sound much like what happens when a machine starts up.

"Good. To turn all that power against itself, all you need to do is reverse the current."

Within a few seconds time, we get the good news from Arcee. "Current reversed."

"YES!" Agent Fowler cheers loudly beside the four of us, which is something much to our surprise before anyone else can react to Arcee's latest report. We stare at him. "Right?" he adds to Raf quickly.

"I'll ready the ground bridge," Ratchet informs the bots, and fires up the ground bridge. "Optimus, the ground bridge is ready and waiting."

"Autobots, jump!" Optimus shouts, and the link goes off.

We wait. And wait. But we still don't have new updates, and we start to get worried.

"Do you think they're…" Raf queries with an edge of worry in his voice.

"Four life signals. One very faint." Ratchet checks on something like a pulse register on his forearm, and announces the shocking news.

Instead of anything else, my brain keeps repeating the words: _not Bee, place, not him…_

We get movements. First it's Optimus who makes his way through, with his battle mask still covering his face.

None of us say anything, until another bulky figure passes through.

"Bulkhead!" Miko cries with delight and relief, and runs down to hug her company's big metal palm.

We follow her off the stage when another figure runs through the bridge. My heart gives a huge pound of gladness when I see the incoming person – yet my stomach reacts uncomfortably at the same time when I see them.

Jack, Raf and I walk over to Bumblebee and Arcee. Bee is alright from what I see – but not Arcee. The female warrior lies in Bee's arms, her optics shut tightly.

Jack looks slightly pale. Miko walks over, and pats his shoulder lightly in support.

"We've lost one this week, by the AllSpark, don't let it be two!" Ratchet walks over and checks on Arcee.

Jack steps forward and places his palm on Arcee's. Nothing happens. "Arcee…"

Her eyes flicker open. "Jack. Really? There are other motorcycles in the world." The female warrior smiles weakly.

"But… you're my first," Jack says, his hand still on Arcee's palm.

A day ago I could've told Jack, "Really? You barely know it. The robot, I mean."

But now I realise… everything's different. I no longer feel like they're strangers, or outsiders to my world.

"Arcee, you're more than just being a motorcycle." I take a step forward and place my hand on Jack's shoulder. He looks at me, and smiles in gratitude.

"And Megatron?" Ratchet asks Optimus.

"Not even him could have survived ground-zero."

"Prime!"

Fowler's voice sounds from the stage by the elevator. He straightens his suit sleeves. "I didn't get to thank for the save. I owe you one." He walks into the opened elevator door, and turns towards us. "We all do."

The elevator door shuts, and Fowler is out of sight.

Arcee gets back onto her feet, and beams – looking as good as everyone else of the team, as if just woken up from a nice afternoon nap. I know she is worse than she appears to be after that much work.

Suddenly Miko turns sideways and walks towards Optimus. "So… is this the part where we say goodbye, and tell us we need to forget we ever saw you?"

My heart sinks, and the prime remains silent. If Fowler does report us, we're expelled from base – either way we leave ourselves or the government expels us, we're leaving.

I can actually feel my desire to stay growing stronger. It's no longer just my intention to uncover more of their – or rather, the Decepticons' secrets held from me which I would do anything to hold onto, or the determination to keep Raf out of harm's way at all costs. I look at Bee, and his big blue optics look back sadly. Then, quietly Optimus orders the bots to return us all to home first, and report back at base immediately.

The ride back home is quiet. Sure, the three of us: Bee, Raf and I have always preferred to stay quiet, but this time it feels intense, as if we know what lies ahead. Goodbyes. And I'm not ready to say that yet.

I ask Bee to drop us a street away from Raf's house, so to prevent suspicion to have Bee driving himself away.

And Raf's mother is quite surprised, and less than pleased to see us back early.

"I thought you are staying outside all day," she says as she tears her attention from her computer in the living room to us, raising an eyebrow.

"We didn't break curfew," I say, and take Raf into the house.

"Hold it, where's your car, smart girl?" she asks behind me.

"Getting fixed," I reply casually, and take Raf back upstairs to his room to put his video game set back in place without even casting another look at his mother.

He looks out of his window, which allows us to see the street view. "Now what?" he murmurs.

I take off my leather gloves and stand behind him, suddenly feeling like something is missing in my life as I look out of the window.

"Returning back to normal life? I'm not sure," I sigh, placing a palm on his shoulder. We sink into our deep thoughts as we look at a distant car, a yellow racing car speeding away from us on the lonely dirt road leading away from the busier areas, until it's gone from our sigh.

I look downwards at my boots. Sometimes karma's really a bitch. We get enough excitement and fun, and friendship in three days' time. Then we lost all that in one morning.

I shuffle Raf's hair. "Hey, I'll be at old man Joe's repairs garage. Call me when you need me."

"Okay."

He looks at me right in the eye, and somehow – I can feel like I can read his emotions. The miserable glint in his eyes seems obvious to me, and he looks as if he also understand my pain, just for this once.

I look down. What's gone is gone. Time to get back to work.

* * *

"Your car engine isn't faulty, it's the coolant expansion tank that has broken down," I conclude after taking a thorough look in my schoolmate's car.

It's Monday afternoon already. Classes have ended and with normal routine, people from school tend to approach me – only to ask me fix electronics and machines for them.

"Well, then, how much would it take to repair my car?" he waves up impatiently.

"That'll need a replacement." I take a closer inspection in the car's hood. The part is severely worn-out. Then I stand back straight and turn to him. "Twenty-five."

"Twenty-five? Seriously?" he glares at me incredulously, as if I just said something ridiculous. "That cost me thirty last time when I took it to the automobile shop!"

"It's a personal deal, and I make my own rules." I slam his car hood back down, and clap the dust off my gloves. "And rule number one, I make the price. No bargaining."

He condenses the whole thing for a while. Then he grins broadly. "Deal. I heard you make the fairest prices, and I guess it's true." He shoves out his wallet. "When can I pick up my car?"

"I have three more bills ahead of yours, but I can get the parts tonight. Expect it tomorrow at my house." I scribble down an address on a notepad from my pocket and tear a page to him. In exchange he pays what he's for. "Mind hauling it there first? If anyone asks, tell them it's my own business."

He agrees on that and drives away. That's when I see Miko Nakadai, who's sitting on the school's front steps drawing on her sketchbook. Jack and Raf just get out of class, and the three of them wave at me. I can't help but smiled. That's the nicest act I've ever got except from my deceased parents and Raf.

I walk over to them, and that's when a few flashes of light catch our attention. I turn back, and we all see them: Arcee, Bulkhead and Bee in their car forms, flashing their headlights to us. Bee and Bulk open their car doors – a message clear enough to signal us to get in.

We must have been somehow suspended from being expelled. The almost dissipated idea of ever returning to the Autobots pops back online in our brains. We can't be any happier – and gladly we get on our cars, can't wait to reunite and start new adventures.

* * *

**That's it for now. Unfortunately tests and project dues are rolling in for the upcoming two weeks, this will take longer than usual to be updated. **

**My creativity processing unit is running low on energon... people, please don't hesitate to give me ideas to move on! Fuel me up so this story continues!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm back! *finally...***

**Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present you a new chapter of the story, from the episode _Masters and Students._**

**Guest657856 (if you can read my reply): yeah I'll be honest I took the idea of Gogo Tomago into Kal. But I assure you they're two different characters. _Entirely different characters._**

* * *

"_RAF!"_

I shriek at the top of my throat, glaring furiously through the clouds of scale-down explosion resulted by Raf's failed science project, a model of volcano, which just melted down.

He glances over at me guiltily, and at the little transparent plastic model of a fighter jet. My own project.

"Did you just blew my project up?" I hiss at a higher-than normal tone at him, squinting my eyes through the fading clouds and dump the remote control in my hands. He shudders with an alarmed face, packed with guilt.

"Hold still, Bulkhead! Jupiter needs its Red Spot," there comes Miko Nakadai's voice from a corner, who's working on her project on the Solar System.

"What… in the AllSpark is going on here?" Ratchet asked tiredly.

"Our projects are due tomorrow," Jack explains, who's working just a few feet away from me with Arcee. "Maybe it's one of these tubes that'll work," she picks up a metal tube that might be a component of Jack's project.

"Um, you're a motorcycle, Arcee. Shouldn't you know how to build a motorcycle engine?" Jack laughs nervously.

"You're a human, Jack. Can you build me a small intestine?" Arcee retorts.

"Well, you can't work on these projects in here, you're – making a mess!" Ratchet exclaims after observing what we've been doing.

"But the science fair is a big part of our grade!" Raf explains.

"Yeah, if Bulkhead doesn't help me finish this model of our Solar System - "

"Oh? And what does Bulkhead know of your Solar System, or Bumblebee of your volcanoes, or - "

"Arcee of our motorcycles?" Jack finishes Ratchet's line.

"Precisely! We're not Earthlings, and they're not scientists."

"But the Autobots are their guardians, Ratchet, would it hurt if they learn by helping our young friends with their school work?" Optimus, who's standing behind a frantic Ratchet asks.

"Well, maybe our young friends should try learning more of Cybertron!" Ratchet says.

"I'm learning, doc, can't you see my working station?" I point over to a table beside his control, covered in tools and stuff and an experiment I've been working on recently, which Ratchet and the other Autobots agreed on letting me make a scale-down replica of their blasters, after they've seen what I could do with their normal-sized ones, which were far too large for me to handle.

"The point of the project is to present something we humans can accept, Ratchet, and we're on the edge of finishing," Jack assures and explains to the Autobot medic.

"If Raf didn't just blew up mine," I add sharply, with anger still boiling in my chest.

"Kal…" Raf took my arm and looks at me in pleas for forgive. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen."

"That took months to make, you know." I stare at him. He looks down. What's done is done, my work is doomed in one single blow.

"Well, then, just – don't make a mess here," Ratchet concludes and rolls his eyes, clearly unsatisfied with the outcome of letting us continue our works in the base.

I roll my eyes and sigh, and walk back to where I've been testing my project.

I'll explain our projects: Raf is trying to make a model of volcano. Miko wants to make a model of the Solar System. Jack thinks that he can try to present a motorcycle engine about how it works, and I decided to make a model of a fighter jet out of transparent plastic, so people can see the inner structures and components, and get a clear view of how the engines and guns work.

Raf, standing by his melted down model is clearing the mess up while I gather what remains of my destroyed work.

"That's not how you do it," I sigh, and walk over to his working place, helping him cover up his work with newspapers in attempt to rebuild it. At first he's quite quiet, then he finally asks, "Are you – not mad at me now? I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."

"I'm still angry," I say. "Well – not as much now. You have work."

"You too, Kal. Maybe you should focus on your project right now, Bee and I can handle this."

"Never mind that. I'll throw the bike in," I reply curtly. Yeah, my magnetic suspension bike, the one that can go 100+mph.

"But you did that last year," Raf reminds me, and tries to suppress a smile.

"Nonsense. It's not the same. It goes faster, and I added in speed marker," I argue, but couldn't help but smile as well. Too lazy for an excuse of throwing in old assignment.

_Yeah, put that smile more on your face, Kal. You look better that way,_ Bee joins in.

I pile a few pieces of newspapers onto the volcano and keep it upright. "That's not really my thing." I shudder, putting an end to the subject. Smiley faces aren't for me, and really – that's not the normal posture of face muscles when smiling.

_Hey, have I ever told you guys about any other bots on Cybertron? _Bee suddenly brings up.

"Tell it, bumblebee, I want to hear it!" Raf says.

_Okay, so there's this guy from warrior class called Ironhide._

"Uh- huh," Raf says, encouraging Bee to continue, as I focus on his damaged project.

_Ironhide's a real badass, having to be from warrior class, but you know my only impression to him? _Bee transforms his hand and reveals the blasters under his forearm armor. _Ya feelin' lucky, punk?_

It takes me quite a damn lot to suppress a laughter. Mimicing a serious face? The doesn't go well with Bee's cute one.

"Really, Bumblebee? Then how do you make warrior class?" Raf asks a matter-of-factly.

_Well, first you have to get through boot camp, then you have to be really badass._

"But I've seen you in action, you're awesome!" Raf exclaims, and slaps another newspaper on the opening of the volcano, as I tear some duct tape and stick them around the wrapped model.

_I sure am, but…_

"I second your opinion, Raf, but Autobot life cycles are much longer than those of humans, and though it may be hard to believe, our young scout still has much to experience," Optimus joins in and explains to us.

All of a sudden the alarms ring again. "Exposed energon," Ratchet explains to us the cause of the sound. "And it's on the move."

"And since we're not moving it, guess who may be," Bulkhead says and walks over to Ratchet's monitors.

"Decepticons," Arcee finishes the line.

"Without Megatron?" Miko asks at her working station.

"Unfortunately, Megatron's legacy will move on as others rise to take his place," Optimus answers her question, and I decide to turn my focus back on Raf's work. "Autobots, you have projects to do. Ratchet, I may require your aid."

"Science project is part of their grade… perhaps I'm better suited remaining behind and, advise," Ratchet says.

_Uh-oh, trouble,_ my heart gave a nasty little comment, and I silently prayed that wouldn't be true. _I had too much trouble over the last couple of days working on my blaster experiments with Ratchet's 'guide'._

"Very well," there came Optimus' agreement on Ratchet's suggestion, and I groaned loudly in my mind. "Bumblebee, let us see to this energon transit."

Bee get onto his feet, and nods at his commander. Ratchet fires up the ground bridge, and they are sent to their designated destination.

"We better hurry, it's four now." I take a quick glance at my watch. "Your project takes a lot of time to do."

"As I can see, Kallistrate," Ratchet walks over and checks on us. I knit my brows lightly – I normally don't have the best impressions on people who call me by the full name. "We're running out of time now, so maybe can you pass your work over to me so I can help fix it?"

He reaches out a giant metal palm, which I stare at awkwardly for a few seconds, trying to decide if I should give him it. Then finally I go back to my working station and fetch him my broken down fighter jet model.

"Mm-hmm." He takes a close speculation at my work. "That's pretty good workmanship by human standards, although it's broken. I can help you mend it, that won't take long."

I stand quite awkwardly, trying to swallow his words when my mind flies to the not-too-good help outcomes with my work in the past few days. In the end I nod awkwardly, and turn back to Raf.

The others at their own working stations turn their focus onto Ratchet and us. The bots go to Ratchet's place and observe him working, while Jack and Miko drop their work and check on us.

"Is there any problem, Kal? You don't sound… quite want Ratchet to help," he whispers, and peers over his shoulder at the three Autobots uneasily.

"Yeah, Ratchet is good at science. He can probably help you score well," Miko adds in. "Talking about that, now I think I want some good grades from him."

"Well… you know the blasters I'm making?" I say lowly, and they nod and bend closer to me to hear clearly as I twirl a fringe behind my ear uneasily. "Ratchet says the workmanship is good, but well… his mind doesn't go exactly the same way."

"What do you mean?" Jack asks.

Before I can utter another work Ratchet says, "Kallistrate, your project is fixed, and I made some amendments to it. It should be better for presentation."

At the word 'amendments' I almost faint. _No, not again._

But I mange to squeeze a sound of gratitude to him, and he packs my work into a box before I can even take a better look at it. Then for the rest of the day I witness him taking over Raf, Jack and Miko's projects one by one, which well, all of them don't look quite the same as they're meant to be like.

When it's time for us to go, Jack comes to us. "I think I get what you meant now," Jack mutters in my ear, as we all get our own packed projects and try to load them into our own bots in their car form. Bumblebee hasn't returned with Optimus yet, and Raf and I are made to go with Bulk and Miko.

"Hey, Raf, Kal! We're ready to go now, c'mon!" Miko calls for us at the door.

"One moment," I call out, and forcibly push Raf's overlarge _brand new_ model into Bulk's trunk. I slam down the trunk hood, and the three of us get on. Jack has already disappeared from base with Arcee, probably going back home.

"But I haven't tried on that… 'volcano' myself," Raf squeaks in my ear on our way home. "And the model doesn't seem really like… earthly."

"Yeah, and I think my model looks nothing like Solar System," Miko complains in the front seat. "It looks more like an unfinished Mars."

I bit my lip. Mine don't go any better than theirs anyway. Let's hope we can still score a good mark.

* * *

Bumblebee isn't there to pick the Raf and I up, both going back to school and leaving, and Bulkhead takes the duty instead.

While we get back to base after school with a not-too-great mood, Ratchet seems to be excited and eager to know our results. Our first greeting line once we get off the cars goes, "Well? How are my – our projects received?"

The four humans stare at each other awkwardly. Then Jack and Miko explain to Ratchet our kinda embarrassing presentations:

Everyone in the presentation room casted Miko a really, really weird look and at her planet mode when it was her turn to present. Finally the head of our school's science department, Mr. Smith asked, "Miss Nakadai, what planet would that be?"

Miko hesitated for a moment, and Jack, Raf and I prayed silently she wouldn't mess up. But eventually it was impossible for her. "Um… Cybertron?" she squeaks. At the word the model even broke apart.

Obviously she couldn't have scored a good mark with that.

Then it was Jack's turn. His so-called motorcycle engine looked nothing like it frankly.

"It's… large, Mr. Darby, but is it operational?" Mr. Smith queries.

How I wish we all knew how to make it work. Unfortunately, Jack didn't seem like the one, and once he clicked the power button on, it went busting around like a mad Autobot trying to transform inside a box, bumping everywhere. It even broke the room door.

He couldn't have scored well either, and I hoped he didn't need to pay for the door.

I could've sworn when it was my turn to go out, the three of them looked beaten down and pale, and I was probably in no better state.

My former model of a fighter jet looked more like the one of the alien drone ships I've seen in the movie Alien by then. People didn't seem to be quite expecting what I brought.

"It looks… new, Miss Malsky. Is it another of your invention like your bike?"

I gripped my fist tighter than ever, wanting to hide myself in a hole badly. But that was impossible, and I bit the bullet and activated the remote control. The product took flight at once but went out of control almost instantly, and it blew the teacher's desk up.

Mr. Smith never seemed more alarmed or pissed. But it wasn't the end of the trouble just yet.

Raf's outcome was the worst, and took the us more than just a few lines of explanation. His 'volcano' – by then made of metal, laser and Cybertronian military tech – actually blew the school roof up as if shooting a missile up, only the impact was worse. We were made to stay behind to explain our projects – and poor Raf had to clear up the roof, with me making up a story to take the blame for him. In the end the teachers sort of accepted the story, and I was forced to pay the maintenance fee for repairing the roof out of the scratches I made from fixing my schoolmates' electronics. I figured out I would have to starve for the rest of the month, while the teachers looked grumpy and not particularly pleased with the day.

When we finished our story, Ratchet doesn't seem any way more pleased either.

"Well, on our planet you would have been awarded the highest honors! Stupid Earth science…"

* * *

**So, Ratchet sometimes really need to get his big head through situations...**

**That's it for today, it's a slightly shorter fanfiction. I will try to update it as soon as I can, though unfortunately, I think I'm starting to get ideas for the 2015 Robots in Disguise series. Sorry for being too easily distracted by things, I can almost feel like I'm having ADHD (yeah, no kidding, I did an online test with a positive result. Tho it said 'further confirmation from doctors is advised, the test is for reference' ;)).**

**Give patience... coming up will be from the episode _Scrapheap._**


	6. UPDATE NOTICE

**I'm sorry guys. School is stressing me out and… my teachers all went onto full 'Let's give these kids three quizzes minimum every week and give them at least two form tests with countless chapter tests for every subject before the final term exam' mode. My grades have been falling backwards. I got confused. I don't know how I'm gonna work this out... I just can't see the road ahead as I used to see it. I felt like I've lost my way and I want to get back onto the track.**

**Don't get me wrong. This story means everything to me. I learn from developing it. It grows together with me. I've had the most amazing time writing the story, I've been dedicating my heart and time for it, and it never failed to bring me to the most wondrous world of imagination. But lately, I realized how immature and undeveloped her story can get… it just doesn't sound natural at all, considering how 'good' my writing was when I started to write. Some readers critiqued that Kal gets a little too depressing to read about at times, I appreciate the suggestions, but I feel like I've already given it a bad start, and… I just don't know how to get it going. It will only get weirder and weirder if I try to alter the character, and I don't want to lose that little dark nature of Kal either. She is a part of me. I've always loved to share this little part of my world of imagination with you all, but now that I've lost my drive, it almost seems like even my school report card is screaming 'JUST COME BACK TO REALITY ALREADY'.**

**I won't delete this story. Not now, at least. My IGCSEs are coming up next year, and my teachers are rushing everything they have to teach, considering there are dozens of chapters for every subject we haven't even covered, and some teachers have already planned extra lessons for us over summer. I will try to find time out of longer vacations onto the story, but… no promises.**

**Thank you all for always staying with the story. 'Till all are one.**


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